The Impossible Girl
by avalon.clarity
Summary: Rayne didn't know why she had a hero complex. Maybe it was because she hated feeling pain, and saving the people she cared about prevented that. Maybe that was also why she didn't fall in love. Maybe that was why she fell in love with him. Derek/OC, slow burn, starts at the beginning of season 2.
1. Running

**Hey everyone! This is my first teen wolf fic, though I have written two others, for Sherlock and Doctor Who. Both are in progress at the moment. Derek and Stiles are my favorite characters, but no, not a Sterek shipper, sorry. I'm taking a stab at having song lyrics with each chapter, which hopefully won't be too disastrous. I should be able to update every Friday. Hope you like my story! **

**Please follow and review, it would mean so much.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC, and her family. All else belongs to the writers and producers of Teen Wolf.**

**I'm ready, ready to run free**

**I'd like to know what lies beyond the blue sea**

**I want the sky to open wide**

**Illuminate this fire inside**

**I want the sky**

**I Want the Sky- Lucy Schwartz**

_She was running. Not running from something, or towards something, just running. And she loved the feeling of it, her feet pounding against the hard-packed earth, her muscles rippling under her skin, the confidence that only came with knowing you were faster than anything._

_BANG!_

_She jumped to the side just in time and sprang into the air, staring back the way she came. The barrel of a gun was pointed at her head, the figure behind the weapon so familiar yet alien in the way it was contorted by hate._

_She turned and sprinted away, heart pounding, but there was no joy this time. This time, she was running from something. And she was so afraid._

She awoke with a jerk as her alarm went off. The sound of a sweet song filled the stuffy air of her bedroom, but she didn't feel sweet. She felt exhausted, like the song should be angry with drum-pounding beat.

"Rayne! Sweetheart, are you awake yet?" Her mom called up the stairs, and Rayne groaned.

"Big day today!" Her mom said a little louder.

"Don't remind me." Rayne muttered before sitting up unsteadily.

"I'm up, Mom!" She shouted down the stairs.

She looked around her room. It was mostly unpacked, but she still had a couple boxes to go through. They were mostly filled with photographs and books, memories of her old life. She looked inside on of them.

A grinning family stared back at her. They stood in front of a tall building. The Empire State, as a matter of fact. A man had his arm around Rayne, holding her close. That used to be her family, but not anymore. Not since her father had left.

How long had it been? Two weeks? Three? Not long enough for Rayne to want to see that picture.

She closed the box firmly and moved to her closet. The first thing she had unpacked had been her clothes.

She shuffled through, looking for anything that caught her eye.

"No, no, no, no, no." She said absentmindedly before coming across a gray sweater that would hang off her shoulders. She slipped into her black skinny jeans hanging over her dresser and pulled on her heeled black boots. She headed to her bathroom and looked in the mirror critically.

Her light brown hair had the worst case of bedhead. She yanked a brush through it, letting the loose waves fall to her waistline. She lined her faded blue eyes with black eyeliner and brushed a couple coats of mascara on her eyelashes. She looked herself up and down one more time and nodded in satisfaction.

"Perfectly ordinary." She said, and she heard her bedroom door open.

"Sweetheart?"

"In here, Mom." Rayne slipped a necklace with a dark red stone pendant wrapped in silver wire over her head.

Her mom looked sad. She hadn't looked happy for a while, but she smiled. In her hand she held a black velvet box.

"For you." Her mom extended her hands, and Rayne smiled widely.

"Thanks Mom." She said, opening the box. Her mouth fell open, and she looked at her mom with shock.

"I can't." She said.

"Yes, you can." Her mom said firmly, and Rayne saw a hint of the strong woman she used to be in the set of her jaw. "He isn't here anymore. Don't be afraid to be who you are."

Rayne looked back in the mirror. She didn't see someone who was afraid. She saw herself, looking confident, hiding the nervousness.

She slipped the earrings into her bottom-most holes, fitting the backing on with ease. In her second hole went small diamond studs, and into her upper piercing went a tiny black hoop.

"You look beautiful." Her mom said, and Rayne rolled her eyes.

"You're supposed to say that."

"It's true." Her mom said with another smile before heading down the stairs. Rayne looked at herself again before turning away and following her mom.

Rayne's car was her worst nightmare contained in an object. It made noise, it looked terrible, and it stood out from the crowd of classy cars in the parking lot.

She grabbed her messenger bag, slung it over her shoulder, and took a deep breath.

She began moving toward the entrance, walking past an old, light blue Jeep, a motorbike, and a high-end Porsche on her way. A couple of guys walked toward her. She didn't look at them, but she could feel their eyes on her as she headed up the steps.

A couple girls passed her and one gave her the stink-eye. Rayne kept walking. She just had to get through today.

Another group of boys smirked as she walked past. One of them looked her up and down, and she resisted the urge to toss him over her shoulder. She knew she could.

But that wouldn't exactly be blending in.

She walked inside and turned to the left, not really knowing where she was going, but hoping to escape the stares. What was so different about her anyway?

"If you're looking for the principal's office, it's just down the hall." A friendly voice said, and Rayne turned to see a girl about her height, with dark reddish-brown hair and brown eyes.

"Thanks." Rayne replied.

"I'm Allison, by the way." The girl smiled.

"Rayne. Rayne Moore." Rayne replied with a smile of her own.

"Nice name. I can show you where the principal's office is, if you want." Allison offered, and Rayne nodded.

"Please. I need all the help I can get." She said, and they began walking.

"Are you a sophomore?" Allison asked.

"Yeah. Just transferred schools." Rayne said.

"I am too. I can introduce you to a couple people, if you want."

"Yeah. Maybe I'll find you later." Rayne said as they stopped in front of a door.

"Totally. See you!" Allison headed back down the hall, and Rayne turned to the door.

She pushed it open, and the principal looked at her.

"You must be Rayne Moore." He said, and she smiled and nodded.

"Welcome to Beacon Hills. I understand you transferred here from up north."

"Yes, sir." She said.

"Well, here is your schedule and a map of the school. I can take you to your first class, if you'd like." He didn't look too enthusiastic, so Rayne shook her head.

"That's fine. I'm sure I can find my way." She said, and he nodded.

"Off you go."

Rayne turned and walked back out. She pondered the map for a moment before setting off.

She realized she was five minutes late as she looked inside. She pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Everyone looked at her, and the teacher pursed his lips.

"Wrong classroom." He drawled, before turning back to his students.

"Is this Chemistry with Mr. Harris?" Rayne asked.

"Yes." The man said.

"It's my first day. I'm pretty sure I'm in the right place." Rayne said, and the man squinted at her.

"Ms. Moore?"

Rayne nodded.

"Have a seat." The man gestured aimlessly, and Rayne looked around. The only open one was next to a redheaded girl. Rayne moved to sit down.

"Oh, and Ms. Moore?" Rayne looked at Mr. Harris.

"If you're late again, new student or not, you'll be out of my class. Do you understand?" He said bitterly, and Rayne tensed before smiling pleasantly.

"Of course." She said, sitting down and dropping her bag on the floor. Mr. Harris gave her a sour glance.

The girl looked at her briefly before turning her head to Mr. Harris. Rayne could feel something a bit off about her, but she ignored it.

Rayne bent to get her things when something odd happened. She smelled something, something familiar and sweet and musky. Her heartbeat quickened. She turned slowly to look behind her.

Two boys sat behind her. One was paying attention, but the other looked away quickly from her eyes. She couldn't tell which the scent was coming from, but she knew it was one of them. And she had to find out.

A few minutes later, she could hear them talking. Then, a paper ball sailed right over her head and to the front of the class, bouncing off of Mr. Harris' gelled head.

He spun around as a couple kids giggled.

"Who in hell threw that?"

Rayne turned to look at the two boys behind her and saw them pointing at each other instantly. She was unable to keep a smile off her face.

Classes blurred together. She had none with Allison that day, but she saw the two boys, always together, talking frequently. She had to do something about the scent that filled her head with questions.

Was she right? How was this possible? Why did she move to a place with one of them?

"Hey." A boy spoke to her, and she jumped.

"I'm Jackson. I'm captain of the lacrosse team." He said with a smirk.

"Um, okay." Rayne said.

"So, I was thinking about something."

"Really? Is that, like, an extraordinary event?" Rayne asked sarcastically.

"Well, you're beautiful, and I'm gorgeous, so we should hang sometime."

Rayne shook her head. "No thanks."

"Sorry?"

"You're not really my type."

"I'm everyone's type."

"Then I'm impossible." Rayne said, walking off. Jackson thankfully didn't follow, and Rayne breathed a sigh of relief as she rounded a corner.

At lunch, when she walked in, she looked around for them. There they were, alone at their table. She moved to sit down with her tray next to them, pretending she wasn't nervous at all.

As she walked towards them, she noticed the redhead who she had sat next to in Chemistry, Lydia, and Allison sitting together with a few other people. Rayne wanted to sit with them, she really did, but this was more important to her.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" She asked the boy who had been staring at her. He looked up, and his eyes widened.

"Uh, uh, um, ye-yeah-"

"He means yes." The other boy said, and Rayne smiled.

"Thanks." She said, sitting down next to the speechless one.

"I'm Rayne, by the way." She said.

"Scott." The boy said. His dark hair matched his eyes, and his skin was darker as well. He looked vaguely Hispanic.

"Stiles." The other boy said. He had lighter skin and blue eyes.

"I think they're trying to get your attention." Scott said, and Rayne lifted her head to look at Lydia and Allison. Lydia was trying to wave her over, but Rayne just smiled.

"That's okay. You're in my chem class, right?" She asked.

"Mm-hmm." Stiles said, looking at her with that same wide-eyed surprise.

"I'm horrible at chemistry. Did either of you get any of that?" Rayne admitted with a half-smile. She still couldn't tell which one that smell was coming off of.

"Something we can all bond over. A mutual hate for science." Stiles said, and Rayne laughed.

"It's my first day, and Mr. Harris already hates me." She looked at Scott, who seemed distracted. Rayne saw the way he looked at Allison and smiled.

"Are you two together?" She asked, and Scott stared at her.

"Um, no." He said, but she knew he was lying. She gave him a look, and he sighed.

"Don't tell anyone? Please? Her parents don't exactly approve of me." He asked, and Rayne smiled.

"Course not." She said easily.

They kept talking through lunch, and though Rayne hadn't accomplished what she had wanted, she felt herself falling back into the feeling of making friends. Scott was nice and sweet, and Stiles was always ready with a sarcastic comment that kept Rayne laughing. They both seemed surprised that she was there, but Rayne managed to put them at ease quickly enough.

They stood up to clear their trays, and Rayne bumped into Scott.

"Sorry." She said quickly, and her senses heightened. She knew now. She _knew_. Even as she met his eyes, her heart quickened to a rapid pace.

Her new friend, the nice guy, the ordinary one, he was it.

He was the werewolf she had smelled.

Later that afternoon, she was just leaving school. Most of the other kids had gone home, but she had stayed behind to run laps at the track. Her hair stuck to the back of her neck unpleasantly, but she loved the feeling of running.

She walked through the parking lot to her car and heard the screech of tires. She looked up just in time to see a black Camaro pull away from the curb.

"I wish I had that car." She murmured before getting in her own.

"I'm home." Rayne called.

"I'm in the kitchen." Her mom answered, and Rayne pondered whether or not she wanted to eat.

"I'm going to get started on homework, okay?" She said, walking up the stairs quickly.

She went into her bathroom and began taking off jewelry, piece by piece. When she got to the earrings her mother had given her, she paused.

Two tiny wolf-heads, howling at the moon, were engraved into the silver. She supposed it was ironic, wearing silver and being who she was. But her mom was right. She didn't need to be afraid to be who she was. It had taken her the better part of six months to accept it, but she had finally come to terms with it.

Rayne looked into her own eyes, and they briefly flashed amber before she smiled wryly and took out the little wolves.

It was late that night when Rayne felt the fear and pain. She woke up gasping and rolled out of bed, catching herself before she hit the floor just barely. She looked out the window at the town. Everything _looked_ peaceful, but something was horribly wrong. She could feel it, thickening the air that she moved through, infecting her heart and lungs with speed.

She opened the window and swung a leg out.

Her light flicked on, and she froze.

"Where do you think you're going?" Her mom asked coldly, and Rayne turned.

"Um," She faced her mom, "not sure. Something is off."

Her mom sighed. "I thought we went over this. We're making a new start, remember? A normal life."

"There is something going on. I can feel it. Fear and pain and I can't just sit by and do nothing." Rayne protested.

Her mom collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion. The bags under her eyes spoke of fear and grief.

"I just don't want you getting hurt." She said, and Rayne sat down next to her.

"I know. I know Mom. But you said that I shouldn't be afraid to be myself. And now that something is practically shoving me out the door, you're telling me to ignore it?" Rayne asked gently, and her mom bowed her head.

"Be safe. Please. For me. Be safe." She whispered before standing up and moving out the door. Rayne watched her go before standing up and pulling off her clothes.

The transformation came easily to her. Her fur grew longer and longer, her teeth sharpened into fangs, and her legs got longer as she sank to all fours.

Most werewolves weren't like her. She was a strange one, looking like a full wolf when she truly transformed. She could become like the others by holding back just a little. When she passed in front of a mirror, her amber eyes glinted and she could just make out the tan-red shadow of her fur.

She leapt out her open window without another glance back and began running toward the source of the fear.

Her legs extended smoothly beneath her and her breath came easily to her lungs. Being a wolf was like being part of the world. You could see everything sharper, smell anything, and hear the slightest noise. Rayne used to go into the woods and just run for the sheer pleasure of it. Nothing compared to that feeling of being under the wide-open sky and complete freedom.

Of course, she was running to the source of pain and rage, so that put a damper on things.

She followed the emotion to a building and paused when she saw the sign outside.

_Beacon Hills Sheriff's Department._

_Shit, shit, shit._ She thought as she trotted toward the doors, staying in the shadows. She could smell five distinctive scents. The woman at the front desk, another middle-aged man, a younger man, a teenager, and…

Stiles. The unmistakable scent of mowed grass mixed with peppermint filled her strong nose. She felt her own fear, a powerful motivator to find them, and find them quickly. She felt the full moon on her back. It lent her strength, but it made her feel more vicious, more like the animal. Her human self had to fight to be heard. But she was in control.

She sniffed the air, trying to pinpoint the exact location of the smell. Fear flooded her, and she knew it wasn't her own. It was too strong for that.

She ran for the source, ignoring the flashing lights coming from the building and the loud fire alarm going off. She saw a gleam of light off a window just big enough for her to leap through.

Her legs moved confidently toward it, the urge to protect her newest friend too strong to turn back now. Her human side was proclaiming all the ways this could go wrong, but she never listened to her head. Only her heart.

She surged for the glass, feeling in shatter and break through her. Shards pelted her coat, but none penetrated. She could smell three men in this room, one unconscious, one afraid, and one werewolf deathly angry.

And then she landed, sharp eyes taking in the details of the situation even as she dropped. She saw Stiles' eyes follow her as she sailed over him, and the growling werewolf with that feral need to kill in his amber eyes. She landed easily on all fours, and stared viciously at the werewolf, her eyes lit up like coals.

He took a single step forward, and Rayne snarled menacingly, taking one single step forward. Her lip curled up over her teeth, and her coat bushed out, making her look bigger than she was.

There was the sound of soft footsteps at the doorway, and Rayne turned her head slightly, keeping most of her attention on the now cowering werewolf.

A man stood there, tall, muscular, with a black leather jacket. His eyes flashed red, and he roared at the werewolf, who shrank back against the wall even more.

He stared at Rayne, and she couldn't help but stare back into his pale jade eyes. Not because he was clearly a werewolf and an Alpha, at that, no, that wasn't it. It was more the fact that his appearance sparked a rolling feeling in Rayne's stomach.

Damn. He was so hot it was _unfair._

Rayne shook herself out of her prolonged stare and looked back at the werewolf, who had transformed back, sweat beading his face. She felt a pang of sympathy. From the looks of it, it was his first full moon. She remembered all too clearly what that had been like for her.

She heard a scrape behind her. Her head turned to look at Stiles, who was watching her with wide eyes. When she met them, they narrowed. Rayne had known him for only a day, but she figured that look meant he recognized something about her.

She jumped towards him, and he threw up his hands to protect himself as she sailed back through the broken window. She hit the ground sprinting for home, wanting to get as far away before the police came back.

She ran through the woods freely, not in a hurry to get home. She leapt on top of a massive tree stump and stared over the forest. It was beautiful at night. The moon shone off every drop of water, and she wanted to howl up to the moon as loudly as she could.

Something about it reminded her she still had school tomorrow. Reluctantly, she trotted for home, her aching muscles telling her she would be sore tomorrow.

The next day in chemistry, Rayne was there first, just to spite Mr. Harris. Within a few minutes, Stiles and Scott appeared. Scott sat down in front of Rayne, and to her surprise, Stiles moved next to her. She smiled and leaned down to pick up her bag. She stifled a groan of pain as her muscles protested.

"Rough night?" Stiles asked.

"My workout was brutal." Rayne lied.

Stiles nodded. "I get it. Lacrosse leaves me sore all the time. What do you do for a workout, anyway? Does, um," he glanced around, "does it usually include jumping through windows?"

Rayne stared at his knowing eyes and sighed. "How did you know?" She asked resignedly.

"I recognized something that reminded me of you. Add that to the way you looked shocked when you met Scott, and-"

"Does he know?" Rayne looked at Scott.

"Um…"

"So that's a yes. Okay, then. My secret is out." Rayne said with another smile.

"Who are you?" Stiles asked.

"A werewolf. Just a werewolf. But I'm the one with questions. Who are you? How many of you are werewolves? What's going on with this town where murders are normal?"

Stiles looked at her in surprise. "I figured that's why you moved."

"I was trying to get away from all of this, actually."

"Better move then. So far, we have three werewolves in town, not including you, some monster attacking people, the hunters-"

Rayne's blood ran ice-cold. "Hunters?"

"And I'm the only normal-sorry, what?"

"Hunters? What hunters?"

"Yeah, the Argents. Do you know them or something?"

Rayne was immersed in her memories of the past.

"Rayne!"

"Sorry. Um, a little. I ran into them in my old town." She said, her tone calm and flat.

"Well, okay, then. The big, bad grandpa just moved in, and he doesn't sound like good news."

Rayne looked at Stiles. "So, what can I do to help?"

Scott turned in surprise. "You want to help?" He asked.

"Eavesdropping much?" Rayne said.

"Sorry." He said apologetically.

"It's fine. I do, though. I want to help. How can I?"

"Um, well, we just kind of go with the flow, I guess." Scott said.

"You don't have a pack, do you?" Rayne asked.

"You don't either." Scott said back.

"You know our kind is more powerful working together. I say we make our own kind of pack, us three." Rayne looked at Stiles. "It won't be a proper pack, but we can help out each other when we need to."

Scott seemed to consider the proposition.

"Seems good to me. Protection is good. Always excellent." Stiles said, and slowly, Scott nodded. Rayne felt a rush of relief, and she grinned.

"Great. One more question." They looked at her expectantly.

"Who was that Alpha last night?"


	2. Past Scars

**So I may have lied a little bit about updating a week from now. I couldn't wait.**

**Thanks to all my followers and reviewers. It makes me so happy to see people reading my things. Thank you!**

**Enjoy the newest chapter and don't forget to review!**

**Some had scars and some had scratches**

**It made me wonder about their past**

**And as I looked around I began to notice**

**That we were nothing like the rest**

**Mountain Sound- Of Monsters and Men**

Sometimes Rayne thought that every person blended together at her school. Freshmen, seniors, teachers, they all looked the same after a while. But when she got to gym, everyone was different. The group of girls wearing Spandex to draw attention, the jocks, a couple who sat on the sidelines with their computers, one shy girl, and Rayne's friends. Scott, Stiles, Allison, and Lydia all had this class. Scott and Allison were climbing the wall.

Rayne grinned at Stiles as she walked toward him. It was the day after Scott and Stiles had explained the events of earlier that year, of Derek and Peter Hale and the Argents, and how Gerard was here. Rayne knew Gerard. She met him once when she was young, to young to remember. She hoped he wouldn't recognize her.

"Hey." She said as she looked at the rock wall.

"Late on your third day?" Stiles said with a smirk.

"Like Coach Finstock gives a damn." Rayne looked up the wall. She saw Scott talking to Allison and listened to their hushed conversation.

"It had a tail. I don't have a tail." Scott said to Allison. They must be talking about the creature that was neither a werewolf of a hunter.

"Maybe you just haven't grown it yet." Allison teased.

"I'm not growing a tail. Ever." Scott said before looking at Allison. "Are you slowing down for me?"

Rayne stopped listening as their somewhat important conversation dissolved.

She watched as Scott sped up the wall. Allison gave him a cross look, and reached out with her foot. A few seconds later, Scott plummeted, and Rayne laughed at his terrified expression.

"All right, next two. Stilinski, Erica, let's go. The wall." Coach Finstock said loudly.

"Don't fall on your ass." Rayne told Stiles, who rolled his eyes.

"Thanks for the inspiring advice."

"No problem."

Stiles rolled his eyes again and clipped on the harness. He began climbing along with the shy girl Rayne had noticed earlier, Erica. She moved slower than him. He finished quickly and sped back down, unclipping the harness and walking back to Rayne with a triumphant expression on his face. She slow-clapped sarcastically for him before turning her attention back to the wall.

"I'd like to see you do better." He said, and she shrugged.

"You asked for it." Rayne said distractedly. She could feel terror, and a weird taste entered her mouth. It tasted like blood, bitter and metallic.

"Is she alright?" Rayne pushed through the crowd to look at a panting Erica.

"Erica, dizzy? Is it vertigo?" Finstock asked.

"Vertigo's a dysfunction of the vestibular system of the inner ear. She's just freaking out." Lydia said, and Finstock gave her a look.

"Erica!" He called up.

"I'm fine." Erica said faintly.

"I can help her down." Rayne said, looking at the empty harness.

"Coach, maybe it's not safe. You know she's epileptic." Allison said.

"Why doesn't anybody tell me this stuff?" Finstock asked. "I have to get-Erica, you're fine. Just-just kick off from the wall. There's a matt to catch you. Come on."

Slowly, Erica pushed off and glided down the wall. Rayne stepped forward to help her as she landed, her hands ready in case she had a seizure.

"It's okay." She said quietly as Erica touched down, stumbling a little. Rayne held her up, and she turned to look at her.

"I got you." Rayne said with a smile. She heard laughter as Erica pulled away from her and her expression turned angry.

"Hey! Leave her alone." She said loudly to the crowd, and they fell silent.

"Okay, class dismissed." Finstock ordered, and they disbanded. Rayne thought she saw tears on Erica's cheeks as she walked to the locker room.

"You want to study later?" Allison asked her as Rayne pulled on her shirt.

"Sure." Rayne said.

"K. After school, my place." Allison said, and Rayne froze.

"Actually, I just remembered. My mom needs my help finishing up unpacking tonight." Rayne lied, her voice turning wistful. She felt a spike of fear, but dismissed it.

"Oh, that sucks." Allison said, her brows furrowing. "Um, are you okay?"

"Why?" Rayne asked, and Allison looked at her hand. Rayne lifted it up to find that it was shaking.

She looked around the locker room and saw no sign of curly blond hair.

"Erica."

She turned and sprinted out the door.

She ran into the gym to see Scott holding Erica as she convulsed.

"Set her down!" Rayne shouted, stopped at his side. He set her down, one arm around her, and Rayne pulled him back.

"Don't! Let her be." Rayne turned and looked at the students surrounding them.

"Everyone back up! She just needs space. No one touch her. Stiles, call an ambulance." Stiles whipped out his phone and dialed the number.

"Is she going to be okay?" He asked her.

"She'll be fine. You just have to let her deal with it."

"How do you know?"

Rayne's throat tightened. "My, um, my old best friend was epileptic. He had a seizure once when we were swimming, and I had to give him CPR. He almost died."

"Oh. Surprisingly more heroic than I was expecting." Stiles said, and the corner of Rayne's mouth twitched upwards.

"Come on." Stiles said, grabbing Rayne's arm through her leather jacket. He looked toward a kid eating alone at a table. It was the day after Erica's accident and Rayne was freezing in her tight black skirt and maroon tights.

"What is it?"

"I need your feminine…wiles to wheedle some keys out of Boyd there."

"Um, how 'bout no." Rayne looked at him incredulously as Stiles sat down.

Stiles sniffed. "Boyd. You got the keys?"

Boyd stared at Stiles and took out the key chain. Stiles smiled and reached for them. He grabbed them and tugged, but Boyd didn't let go.

"This isn't a favor. It's a transaction." Boyd said. "And don't think your friend is going to convince me to lower the price."

"Right! The price." Stiles said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a twenty-dollar bill.

Boyd looked at Stiles with 'are you shitting me right now' eyes. "I said fifty."

"Really, I- I remember 20. I don't know. I have a really good verbal memory. And I remember 20. I remember that distinct twa sound. Twa-enty."

"I said fifty. With the fa sound. Hear the difference?"

"Uh-"

"If you can't, I can demonstrate some other words with the "fa" sound."

"I'm starving. Just give him the money." Rayne said, looking over to where Scott sat.

Boyd nodded at her approvingly while Stiles glared.

"You're supposed to be on my side."

Rayne shrugged. "I can be so mercurial when I'm hungry."

"Uh, no, n-no. I think I'm recalling it. Now. Maybe I just got it confused with forty." Stiles placed another bill on the table, and Boyd looked at Stiles again, who groaned.

"Come on, man, have you seen the piece of crap jeep that I drive?"

"You seen the piece of crap bus that I take?" Boyd shot back.

Stiles took out a ten and slapped it down. "Fifty." He said, and Boyd smiled. "Mmm. Okay. Thank you." Stiles snatched the keys from Boyd, and Rayne picked up her tray to go.

"You are so helpful." Stiles said sarcastically.

"Look, I'm not going to flirt with some random guy just to get you some replacement keys." Rayne said.

"Got 'em. Pick you up right after work tonight and we'll meet at

the rink, cool?" Stiles said to Scott. Rayne felt a pang of jealousy at their words.

Scott looked at Rayne apologetically. "Sorry we didn't invite you." Stiles looked at her awkwardly and Rayne broke.

"Guys, it's cool. I get the whole double date thing." Rayne said, brushing off the envy at the sight of their pleading faces.

"I mean, you could just ask any guy to go with you. Most would say yes." Stiles said.

Rayne looked at him in confusion. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She heard the sharp tap of heels and looked toward the front door. Her senses tingled as a girl walked through the door, gorgeous, wearing leopard-print heels, a short leather skirt and matching jacket, completed with bright red lips. She smelled of seductive perfume, but underneath was something more familiar.

Rayne watched as the girl grabbed an apple off of a random plate and took a bite.

"What the holy hell is that?" Lydia asked Rayne, who was still staring. The girl turned and walked back the way she had come, still holding the apple.

"It's Erica." Scott said, and Rayne grabbed her bag, following Erica out. Scott and Stiles were right behind her as she pushed open the doors. The wind blew her hair back from her face as Erica got into the shiny black Camaro Rayne had noticed a few days earlier.

The man in the front seat turned and Rayne felt her stomach spin. His jade eyes were covered by sunglasses, but she recognized him.

They sped off, and Rayne took in a breath.

"That was-"

"Derek Hale. Asshole." Stiles muttered.

"He doesn't seem too bad." Rayne said.

"You've never met him. He's threatened to kill me, like, a dozen times."

Rayne shrugged. It probably wouldn't be a great plan to tell them what she thought of Derek Hale.

It wasn't like she had a crush on him. Rayne hadn't had a crush since she was twelve. She didn't believe in love at first sight or the perfect relationship. She wasn't the type of girl to fall head over heels for some guy she had never met. She just thought that he was pretty much really hot.

"Do you have any tips for not making a fool of myself tonight?" Stiles asked her.

Rayne looked at them to see Scott listening intently.

"Just, um, try not to fall on your butt, give lots of compliments, and bring snacks. Girls love it when guys don't care if they eat junk food or not." Rayne said, and Stiles put his arm over her shoulder.

"Have I ever told you how glad I am that you moved?" He said.

"You could stand to tell me a bit more." Rayne joked as they headed back up the stairs.

The next day, at lunch, Rayne was laughing at something Stiles said when she stopped walking.

"Hey Stiles?"

"Mmm?"

"That kid yesterday, Boyd. Isn't that his table?" Rayne looked toward the empty one.

Stiles' face grew serious. "Yeah. Yeah it is."

Rayne saw Allison walking away from Scott, who was sitting down, and walked toward him as quick as she could.

"Scott. Do you see that?" Stiles asked him.

"What, it's an empty table." Scott answered distractedly.

Rayne snapped her fingers in front of his nose. "Scott, I get that you're distracted by Allison right now, but focus. Who always sits there, every day?"

Scott's face paled.

"Now you're getting it." Rayne said.

"Boyd." Scott said.

"I'm going to go to the ice-rink, see if he's there. And if he's not at home, you call me, got it?" Scott said as they walked towards the parking lot.

"I'm coming." Rayne said, and he nodded. Rayne saw Stiles giving them a hesitating glance.

"What?" Scott asked.

"Maybe we should let him." Stiles said, and Rayne stopped walking. Boyd, you know, man? You said Derek's giving them a choice, right?"

"Not happening." Rayne told him.

"Rayne, come on. You gotta admit, Erica looks pretty good. You know, the word "sensational" comes to mind."

"Yeah. How good do you think she's gonna look with a wolfsbane bullet in her head?" Scott said fiercely.

"All right, all I'm saying is maybe this one isn't totally your responsibility."

"They all are. And you know this thing's gonna get out of control. That makes me responsible." Scott added.

"Bad things happen to werewolves, Stiles. Between the hunters and the new creature, we can't let Boyd make this choice. It sounds good on paper, but in reality it never works." Rayne said.

Stiles sighed. "All right, I'm with you. And I also gotta say this new-found heroism is making me very attracted to you both." He said, and Rayne rolled her eyes.

"Shut up." Scott said, continuing to walk.

"No, seriously. Do you wanna just try making out for a sec? Just to see how it feels?" Stiles asked and Rayne and Scott kept going.

"Rayne? No?" Stiles shouted down the hall.

"Maybe later!" Rayne said back jokingly.

"It's nice to see someone has a sense of humor." Stiles said.

Rayne waited in the sidelines of the ice rink, waiting for Scott's cue. They both agreed her entrance should be a bit dramatic, just for effect. So she waited and listened and put on her confident, uncaring disguise. She could hear the roar of the Zamboni and Scott's voice as it died down.

"Boyd. I just wanna talk. Hey, come on, Boyd, please. Did Derek tell you everything? And I don't just mean going out of control on the full moons. I mean everything." Scott said.

"He told me about the hunters." Boyd's voice sounded the same.

"And that's not enough for you to say no? Whatever you want, there's other ways to get it." Scott said.

"I just wanna not eat lunch alone every day." Boyd said, and Rayne had a flashback.

_I usually eat alone. It's a bit weird that the beautiful new girl is choosing my table._

_You don't seem like the loner type._

_I'm not. It's everyone else who doesn't like me._

_Well, I'm not a loner either, and I like you. So how about we eat lunch and you stop calling me beautiful?_

_Sure thing._

Rayne shook herself out of her memories and refocused.

"If you're looking for friends, you can do a lot better than Derek." Scott said.

"That really hurts, Scott." Rayne heard, and she jumped. She hadn't even noticed his appearance.

"I mean, if you're going to review me, at least take a consensus. Erica, how's life been for you since we met?"

"Hmm. In a word-transformative." Erica said, and she growled. Rayne tensed.

"Isaac?"

"Well, I'm a little bummed about being a fugitive, but other than that, I'm great."

"Okay, hold on. This isn't exactly a fair fight." Scott said, and Rayne got ready.

"Then go home, Scott." Derek said simply.

There was a long pause.

"I meant fair for them." Scott said, and Rayne stepped onto the ice.

She saw Derek's eyes widen and smiled widely.

"Who are you?" He asked, and Rayne frowned.

"You mean you don't remember me? I'm offended." She said and his brow furrowed.

Rayne smiled, and her eyes flashed bright amber at him. He nodded.

"Of course. The sheriff's department. You saved Stiles."

"That's me." Rayne said, and she looked at the tall boy, Isaac.

"Hello again! Nice to see you not trying to kill me."

"So you got a little friend, Scott. Good for you." Derek said, and Scott smirked.

"My little friend could probably kick your pack's ass singlehandedly."

"Thanks, Scott. You're sweet, but I think I might need both hands. Then again, maybe not." Rayne said, moving to stand beside him.

Derek nodded.

"Let's put it to the test then." He said, and Rayne shrugged.

"You asked for it."

Erica and Isaac charged. Rayne focused on Erica, who reached for her with sharp claws. Rayne pushed off the ground and flipped over her fluidly. She hadn't even transformed yet. As she landed, Erica spun, and Rayne kicked her in the stomach. Erica landed hard on her back, and Rayne felt a pang of guilt.

"I don't want to hurt you." She said to Erica, who growled and lunged for her again.

Rayne picked her up and threw her against the Zamboni. Erica slid down its surface and came to rest on the cold ice.

Rayne met Boyd's eyes. He looked worried. Rayne saw Isaac's limp body and she slid Erica's to Derek's feet.

"Don't you get it? He's not doing this for you. He's just adding to his own power, okay? It's all about him. He makes you feel like he's giving you some kind of gift when all he's done is turn you into a bunch of guard dogs!" Scott shouted angrily.

"It's true. It is about power." Derek said, walking toward Scott. He glanced at Boyd, and suddenly Rayne's arms were pinned to her side.

"You could be in our pack, you know. I could offer you protection from the hunters, family." Derek told her.

"Tempting, but I don't think I could handle your ego." Rayne said.

Derek sprang for Scott, and Scott couldn't dodge. Rayne watched in horror as Derek pinned Scott to the ground with one fluid motion. Scott coughed up blood, and Rayne heaved herself away from Boyd.

She jumped for Derek's back, but he turned. Instead, they fell backwards, twisting in midair. Rayne landed painfully on her back, and she winced as Derek drove her down. The cold stung her bare skin, but she smiled up at his face, which was transforming back to reveal his green eyes. Her heart was beating faster just by being this close to him.

"Oh come on Derek. At least learn my name first." She said with a smirk, and his confident expression faltered. She heaved upward, flipping over again so she was on top of him. Her knee was on his stomach to stop him from moving, and she drove it in. He winced.

"I honestly don't want to hurt you." Rayne said.

"I think we'd make a good team. New werewolves need training, and you already have it." He said tightly, a faint smile on his face.

"I think you need some kind of trust to be a good team. Anyway, I have Scott and Stiles. I don't need another pack." She answered. She felt his body twist from under her hands, and she was on her back again. He leaned over her, his face mere inches from hers.

"Who are you, really? What's your name?"

"Rayne. Rayne Moore." Rayne gasped, trying to recover her breath.

"Why don't you trust me, Rayne Moore?"

"Because you're putting on a show. A show where you pretend to be okay when we both know you have scars." Rayne said, and his smile faded.

"How did you know?"

"I'm what psychics call empathic. I can pick up the emotions of other people. And I know you're hiding something."

"So are you."

"We all have secrets, Derek Hale." Rayne said.

Derek got off of her slowly, and she took in a deep breath.

"Think about it, Rayne Moore." He said.

"I'm not really into bad boys." Rayne lied, sitting up and wincing as her stomach protested. She crawled over to Scott, who was just sitting up. Boyd stood by him, trying to help him.

"Don't. You don't wanna be like them." Scott said slowly.

"You're right." Boyd said, and Rayne's heart jumped.

"I wanna be like you."

Boyd lifted his shirt, and Rayne's eyes widened as she looked at the bite mark.

He walked silently to join Derek, Erica, and Isaac, and they walked off.

Rayne looked back at Scott, who was bleeding heavily.

"Come on. Let's get you somewhere safe."

"Why isn't it healing?" Scott asked Rayne as she helped him into the animal clinic. She jumped as she saw the examining table.

"Because it's from an Alpha." A man stepped from the shadows as Rayne took in the slashed body in front of her.

"I think maybe we better have that talk now." The man said, and Scott nodded fervently as Rayne stared.


	3. Barely Floating

**Sorry about the delay in the update. I had exams this week and completely forgot about the rest of my life.**

**Anyway, thanks to all my followers and reviewers. You're the best!**

**Enjoy and please review!**

**A wolf, wolf and I,**

**We share the same cold meal.**

**I float on, float on down.**

**We ride, we ride, we ride**

**We ride it all out.**

**Six Weeks- Of Monsters and Men**

"They're coming back, so we don't have much time to talk." Deaton said quickly, taking out a bottle. Rayne watched out the window for any movement.

"What is that?" Scott asked.

"Rubbing alcohol. You don't want it to get infected, do you? You will heal the same, just not as quickly, because of Derek."

"Okay, how do you know all this? Actually, how-how do you know anything?" Scott asked incredulously, and Rayne looked at the vet again, deftly bandaging Scott's scratch.

"It's a long story. What I can tell you is that I know about your kind. Your kind, I can help. This. This is something different." Deaton looked at the eviscerated body.

"You mean the other creature." Rayne said.

"Yes."

"Well, do you know what did it?" Scott asked.

"No. But the Argents will. And this is the crucial part, they'll have a record or book. It'll have descriptions, histories, notations, of all the things that they've discovered."

"All the things? How many different things are there?" Scott asked disbelievingly, and Rayne scoffed.

"You would not believe-" She ducked as a light shone through the parking lot.

Deaton pointed to another door, and they hurried towards it. Rayne closed it just as she heard footsteps entering the room.

"I'm starting to think I need to buy a more prominent "closed" sign." Deaton said, and Rayne saw the silhouettes of four people enter the room.

"Hello, Alan. It's been a while. The last I heard, you had retired." Gerard's cold voice made Rayne tense, and Scott grabbed her arm.

"Last I heard you followed a code of conduct." Deaton retorted.

"If you hadn't noticed, this body is one of ours." That was Chris's voice, Allison's father.

"I did, I also noticed the gunpowder residue on his fingertips. So don't assume I will be swayed by your philosophy just 'cause I'll answer a few questions."

"He was only 24."

"Killers come in all ages."

"All ages, sizes, shapes. It's the last one that concerns us." Gerard said.

"How about you tell us what you found?" Chris asked.

"See this cut? Precise. Almost surgical. This isn't the wound that killed him. This had a more interesting purpose." Deaton said.

"Relating to the spine." Gerard said.

"That's right. Whatever made this cut, it's laced with a paralytic toxin, potent enough to disable all motor functions. These are the cause of death. Notice the patterns on each side." Deaton said, and Rayne looked at Scott with wide eyes.

_That explains a lot._ She mouthed, and he nodded.

"Five for each finger." Chris said.

"Each claw." Gerard corrected.

"As you can see, it dug in, slashed upward, eviscerating the lungs and slicing through the bone of the rib cage with ease."

"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Chris asked.

"No."

"Any idea at all what killed him?"

"No. But I can tell you it's fast, remarkably strong, and has the capacity to render its victims essentially helpless within seconds."

"If you're saying we should be cautious, we get it."

"I'm saying you should be afraid. Be very afraid. Because in the natural world, predators with paralytic toxins use them to catch and eat their prey. This prey wasn't eaten. That means whatever killed him only wanted to kill him. In fact, killing may be its only purpose."

The next day, Rayne was running. It was nighttime, and she had an eye out for Derek, Isaac, Erica, Boyd, Scott, Stiles, the creature, the hunters, and anything else suspicious. It was enough to make her pulse kick up a notch. She also had a bad feeling, like something bad was about to happen.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she took it out.

_Just got attacked. Mechanic's shop._ Stiles' text said.

"Shit." Rayne said, her pace increasing to a sprint.

She slowed down at the crime scene, her insides tying into knots. A small crowd had gathered, and she shoved her way through.

"Ma'am, please stay back." A police officer told her, and she resisted the urge to shout at him.

"Please." She looked at Stiles, sitting on the edge of the ambulance talking to his dad. "That's my friend. That's my friend. Please."

The police officer's expression softened. "Go ahead."

"Thank you!" Rayne ducked under the tape and rushed for Stiles. He turned to meet her, and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Your text said almost nothing. I didn't know if you were hurt or anything. Oh my god, Stiles." She said.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Stiles said, and she let go.

"What happened?" Rayne asked. She could see the scared, haunted look in his eyes, but he shrugged.

"Went to pick up my car, got paralyzed, mechanic got crushed. I don't have my Jeep anymore, which sucks." He said.

"It's alright to be afraid." Rayne said, and Stiles nodded.

"Yeah, well, you and Scott are so put together all the time. I can't lose it."

"Are you kidding? I'm scared shitless half the time. I just hide it." Rayne said, and she was rewarded with a smile. It faded quickly.

"I watched him die." Stiles said quietly. "I couldn't even close my eyes. I heard him asking for help and watched him die."

"I'm sorry."

"Have you ever? Seen someone die, I mean." Stiles asked.

"Yeah." Rayne said. "About seven months ago."

"Who?"

"It's not important." Rayne said. "But it stays with you, you know?"

"Yeah." Stiles said. "Look, there's Scott. Let's go." He walked over to Scott's car, and Rayne followed.

"You okay?" Scott asked him.

"Yeah. You were right. It's not like you. I mean, its eyes were almost like, reptilian. But there was something about them." Stiles told him as Rayne slid into the seat.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked.

"You know when you see, like, a friend in a Halloween mask, but all you can actually see are their eyes and you feel like you know 'em but you just can't figure out who it is?"

"Are you saying you know who it is?"

Rayne looked at Stiles intently.

"No, but I think it knew me."

"I'm so sorry about the other day. I'm trying. We'll get through this. Uh, I know, because I love you. I love you more than-no, sorry, not happening. I'm not doing this. Why can't you just subtly pass notes in class like the rest of us?" Rayne said to Scott, who sighed. Stiles snorted with laughter behind Rayne, and she glared at him.

"Come on, you're the only one that we can trust and you are way faster than Stiles. Is she coming to the game tonight?" Scott said.

"Okay, got it. Fine!"

"Tell me about your boss." Stiles said.

"He thinks that Allison's family keeps some kind of, uh, records of all the things that they've hunted. Like a book." Scott said.

"He probably means a bestiary." Stiles said.

"Yeah, that makes sense." Rayne said.

"What?" Scott asked.

"A bestiary." Stiles repeated.

"I think you mean bestiality." Scott said with a childish smile on his lips.

"Nope, pretty sure I don't. It's like an encyclopedia of mythical creatures." Stiles corrected.

"Bestiality? Really?" Rayne asked sarcastically.

"How am I the only one who doesn't know anything about this stuff?" Scott asked.

"Okay, you're my best friend, you're a creature of the night. It's kind of like a priority of mine." Stiles said.

"Okay. If we can find it, and it can tell us what this thing is-"

"And who it is." Rayne finished Scott's sentence.

"We need that book!" They all said together, and Rayne looked at them both.

"Okay, so I'm gonna go deliver this message now." She said awkwardly.

"Yeah, I've gotta go." Stiles said.

"Let's not ever do that again." Scott added, and they headed off in separate directions.

"I think you mean-" Allison said with a smile.

"No, I really do mean bestiary. What is it with you and Scott? Jeez." Rayne said.

"Okay, um. Can you describe this thing?" Allison asked her.

"A book or something? Probably old."

"Like, bound in leather?"

"Allison says she saw her grandfather with an old, leather-bound book." Rayne relayed to Scott.

"Where is it?" Rayne asked Allison. She was getting slightly out of breath at this point.

"In his office." She told Scott.

When she returned to Allison, Rayne was royally annoyed.

"Ever considered passing notes? Not even a bit? Or a text? It's pretty convenient." She said irately to Allison.

"My parents check every call, email and text message I send. Trust me, they'd find it."

"Scott asked if you could get the book."

"Not without his keys." Allison said.

"Fantastic. Well, get the keys if you can. I should go back to Scott and tell him. See you later." Rayne began jogging back to the library where Scott was.

"Come on, is that thing even a teenager? I wanna see a birth certificate!" Coach Finstock yelled at the field. Rayne cracked a smile from where she sat behind Stiles.

She got so engrossed in the game that when a player went down, she stood up.

"Oh come on, foul! That was a foul!" She shouted along with the crowd. The coach looked at her approvingly.

"Are you in my class?" He asked.

"Yeah, Coach."

"A. A for effort." He said beamingly. Rayne smiled as she sat down.

"We're still short one player, Coach." A player said, and Coach Finstock stood.

"Where's Stilinski? Where's Stilinski?" He said, and Rayne looked around. She hadn't even noticed Stiles stand to go find the bestiary.

"Stiles?" She shouted, but there wasn't an answer. She took off down the bleachers, sprinting for the school where she knew he was supposed go.

When she reached the dark hallway, she heard disgruntled mumbles coming from down the hall. She followed the sound to the gym. Her feeling of unease grew with each step, the feeling that something was watching her. Maybe with reptilian eyes, she didn't know. But she could also feel anger. No, stronger than just anger. Fury and the need for revenge.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" She heard Stiles' voice say, sounding more putout than afraid

"Stiles." She heard Derek say.

"Derek."

"What did you see at the mechanics' garage?"

"Uh, several alarming EPA violations that I'm seriously considering reporting." Stiles said, and Rayne heard a hiss of air.

"Holy God."

"Let's try that again." Derek said, and Rayne waited by the door.

"All right, the thing was pretty slick looking. Um, skin was dark. Kind of patterned. Uh, I think I actually saw scales. Is that enough? Okay, because I've somebody I really need to talk to– ugh. All right, fine, eyes. Eyes are, um, yellowish. And slitted. Um, has a lot of teeth. Oh. And it's got a tail, too. Are we good?" Stiles asked.

"What? Wait, have you seen it? You have this look on your faces like you know exactly what I am talking about." Stiles said, and Rayne heard a hiss.

She sprang from the doorway, heading straight for Stiles.

"Move, move, move!" She shouted as she heard a non-werewolf growl and the sound of a body hitting stone. She saw Erica's unconscious form behind them when she glanced back for a second.

"Run!" Derek ordered, and Rayne turned around to see the creature slash at him.

"Derek, your neck!" Stiles shouted, and Derek swayed on his feet.

"Get him!" Rayne ordered, facing the creature. It slashed at her, and she ducked, her feet flying over her head in a flip. There was the sound of a splash, and Rayne glanced back to see Stiles alone a few feet away.

Acting out of raw instinct, she shoved his back toward the water and jumped on the diving board. The creature paced slowly in front of her, and she ripped off her jacket.

"This isn't the time to get undressed!" Derek shouted.

"I paid $100 dollars for that jacket. I am not getting it wet!" Rayne shouted back, and the creature lunged. Rayne did a handspring backwards, her hands landing on pavement and her feet plummeting straight into cold water.

When she resurfaced, water streaming down her face, she couldn't see the creature. She could hear Stiles and Derek though.

"Hey, come on. Where is it? Can you see it?" Stiles said, and Rayne struck out in the direction of his voice.

"I can smell it. Please hurry. Call Scott! Stiles-"

"Where did it go? Do you see it?"

"No."

"Okay, maybe it took off." Stiles said, and Rayne heard a growl. She looked around but saw nothing."

"Maybe not." Derek said, and Rayne reached them. She got to Derek's other side and began supporting him.

"There must be a way to, I dunno, unparalyze you, because we can't hold you up forever." She said.

"Thanks for that stunning observation." Derek said sarcastically.

"I'm the one keeping you from drowning right now." She retorted.

"Why didn't it kill Erica?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know. It'd be helpful if we actually knew what "it" was." Rayne said.

"You get me out of here before I drown." Derek said about half-an-hour later. Rayne was getting tired from his constant weight, her chin dipping below water more frequently.

"You're worried about drowning? Did you notice the thing out there with multiple rows of razor sharp teeth?" Stiles asked.

"Did you notice I'm paralyzed from the neck down in eight feet of water?"

"I don't get why it hasn't attacked. It's reptilian. It can probably swim." Rayne said.

"It doesn't matter. I don't see it right now." Stiles said, looking at the edge longingly.

"Wait, wait, wait, stop, stop." Derek said quickly, and Rayne noticed the creature's shadow. Its eyes shone in the dark, and its breath hissed out slowly.

"What's it waiting for?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know. Maybe it's afraid of water." Rayne said.

"A six-foot long giant lizard, and you think it's afraid of water?" Derek asked.

"What's your theory, Mr. Know-it-all?" Rayne retorted.

They fell into silence for the next two hours. Rayne's clothes dragged her down, and she struggled to keep her head and Derek's above water.

"Okay. Okay, I don't think I can do this much longer." Stiles said.

"Me neither." Rayne said.

Stiles glanced toward his phone, and Rayne looked at him with shock.

"No, no, no. Don't even think about it." Derek said.

"Stiles, it's a bad idea. A really bad idea." Rayne said.

"Would you just trust me this once?" Stiles said.

"No." Derek said.

"I'm the one keeping you alive, okay, have you noticed that?" Stiles said angrily.

"Yeah. And when the paralysis wears off, who is going to be able to fight that thing, you or me? You don't trust me, and I don't trust you. You need me to survive, which is why you are not letting me go."

"Shut up, both of you." Rayne said.

"I'm the one who'll be going, okay! I can fight and protect myself. Stiles, can you hold up Derek by yourself?"

"Maybe, but you could-"

"Big whoop, I could get hurt. I'm going." Rayne said, and she let Derek go, striking out for the edge.

"Rayne!" Derek shouted as she swam to the edge frantically. Her breath came in short, painful gasps as she used her aching muscles.

She saw the creature pacing a few yards away as she neared the edge. With all her strength, she reached the edge and heaved herself up. Its claws landed an inch away from her hand as she grabbed Stiles' phone.

She swam back to them and looked at Stiles, who was gasping.

"I…dropped…him." He panted, and she handed him the phone.

Her hands slid through the water as she dove for Derek's limp form. They pulled him up as she propelled herself from the bottom.

They broke the surface, and Derek began gasping.

"Tell me you got him." Derek said, and Rayne looked at Stiles, who shook his head.

"He hung up on me. I reached him, but he hung up." Stiles said.

"I'm going to have to have a word with him. Actually, no. Five." Rayne said wearily as she resumed her hold on Derek.

"Which are?"

"What the actual fuck, Scott."

"I can't stay up any longer, I need something to hold on to." Stiles said almost twenty minutes later. Rayne could barely draw breath. She was supporting most of Derek at this point, and she had one eye on the creature.

"I'm going." She announced.

"What?" Stiles asked.

"I'm not dying here." Rayne said. "I'll distract it long enough for you to make it to the edge."

"You could die. You know that, right?" Derek asked.

"I know. But I'd rather die being all heroic saving you guys than drowning in a pool at school." Rayne said, and she struck out for the edge.

When she reached it, she heaved herself out of the water, on all fours, facing the creature. She leapt for it, transforming into a half-wolf midair. They tumbled across the deck, her claws raking through its skin. It dug its paw into her side, and she howled in pain. It threw her off with one flick, but she sprang back up. It looked almost puzzled as it stared at her. She prepared herself to attack before pausing.

"Oh my god." She said in a half-whisper. She took a step nearer.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She could feel its confusion and pain and fear and anger all twisted up inside, and she felt so terrible for hurting the person inside.

"I'm so, so sorry, whoever you are." She said, and the thing moved. Its tail wrapped around her ankle and tossed her through the air. Rayne felt herself fly briefly before her back slammed into a wall and she crumpled to the ground.

"Rayne? Rayne! Rayne!" She heard Stiles' voice, grating against her throbbing head.

She pushed herself off the ground. "Is everyone okay?" She asked hoarsely.

"Yeah. Scott came."

"The creature?"

"Gone." Derek said, walking over.

Rayne stood and stumbled. Her head felt like it was full of cotton, but she was recovering.

"You might want to get checked out at the hospital. Hypothermia, or something." She noticed her words slurring together slightly, but she knew she was healing.

"Um, yeah, what am I supposed to say, exactly? I might have hypothermia because I was stuck in a pool for three hours holding up a paralyzed werewolf while a lizard circled us slowly. That'll go over well." Stiles said sarcastically, and Rayne smiled slightly before leaning against Scott, who held her up.

"Are you healing?"

"Slowly. I'm so tired it's probably all messed up." She said.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Stiles said, and Rayne looked at Scott.

"I've waited for a long time to say this. What. The. Actual. Fuck." She said, and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Yeah, yeah. I came, didn't I?"

She was feeling much better as Scott and Stiles plugged in the bestiary and opened it up.

"Is that even a language?" Stiles asked.

"Yes, it is, Stiles. That's Latin. Ancient though." Rayne said.

"Can you read it?"

"No."

"How are we supposed to figure out what this thing is?" Scott asked.

"It's called a kanima." Derek said, walking up. Erica followed behind. He tossed Rayne her jacket.

"Thanks." She said.

"You knew the whole time." Stiles said to him.

"No. Only when it was confused by its own reflection."

"It doesn't know what it is." Scott said.

"Or who."

"What else do you know?"

"Just stories, rumors."

"But it's like us?" Scott asked.

"A shape-shifter, yes, but it's-it's not right. It's like a…" Derek paused.

"An abomination." Stiles said grimly.

"Derek? We need to work together on this. Maybe even tell the Argents." Scott suggested.

"You trust them?" Derek asked angrily.

"Nobody trusts anyone! That's the problem. While we're here, arguing about who's on what side, there's something scarier, stronger and faster than any of us, and it's killing people and we still don't even know anything about it!" Scott shouted.

"I know one thing. When I find it, I'm gonna kill it!" Derek said.

"You can't." Rayne said loudly.

"Why not? Why shouldn't I?" Derek asked.

"If you would stop being so stubborn, you would see that we could work together!"

"_You_ refused _my_ offer, remember?"

"If you want more people to die, go ahead, but don't you dare kill the kanima. It is a human being most of the time, a human with a life and parents and friends. I think Scott may be right. We should tell the Argents."

"Do you honestly trust them?" Derek asked angrily, and Rayne paused. She didn't trust them.

Derek turned to go.

"I trust my instincts and what I felt when I faced that creature. If you had felt how confused and hurt and angry it was, you wouldn't kill it, Derek. You couldn't bear to."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does! None of us trust each other. But we could. I could trust you if you would trust me."

Derek kept walking and Rayne angrily kicked the tire of Stiles' car.

"You okay?"

"No, I'm not! We keep dancing around each other and I'm done. It's time that we all fought this thing together, but instead we're fighting each other." Rayne said bitterly.

"Hey, it's going to be okay." Stiles put a hand on her shoulder. "We can handle it. We always have before."

"Yeah. We're together. That's what's important." Scott said.

Rayne looked at them and felt her anger subsiding.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love you guys?" She said with a weak smile.


	4. Not Meant for Killing

**So it hit me today that there really isn't too long until the season premiere. Only another month and a half guys! Anyway, I decided that I'm going to do a couple updates a week, so be excited! Thank you to my followers and reviewers. It feels amazing when people decide they like what I write enough to wait for another update.**

**Please review and enjoy the latest!**

**We were meant to live for so much more **

**Have we lost ourselves? **

**Somewhere we live inside **

**Meant to Live- Switchfoot**

Rayne was in class the next day, sitting right behind a boy with curly blond-brown hair that she didn't know. Scott looked worried as he stared at the boy, his forehead all wrinkled up.

"Dude, I just talked to my dad, who just talked to Jackson, and I've got really terrible, horrible, very, very bad news." Stiles said as he slid into the seat behind Scott.

"I think I already know." Scott said, and Stiles noticed the boy.

"Oh." He said.

Rayne gave them a questioning glance, and Stiles mouthed the words, _Werewolf, Derek._

"Oh." Rayne said, looking at the boy, who twisted and looked at her with a smirk on his face.

"It's rude to talk behind someone's back, you know." He said. Rayne stared at him until he shrugged and turned back around.

"All right, I only found one thing online called a kanima. It's a were-jaguar from South America that goes after murderers." Stiles told them after class.

"That thing was not a jaguar." Scott said.

"Okay, who was that?" Rayne looked down the hall to where the boy was walking towards Erica.

"Yeah, and I'm not exactly a murderer." Stiles kept talking.

"Yeah, but you did see it kill somebody, which is probably why it tried to kill you. And it's still trying to kill you, and it probably won't stop until you're dead!" Scott said, leaving a frozen Stiles behind.

"You know, sometimes I really begin to question this friendship." Stiles said sarcastically.

"Who was that?" Rayne asked again loudly.

"Isaac, werewolf, part of Derek's pack, asshole." Stiles said quickly.

They walked into their next class quickly, Rayne taking a seat behind Stiles. Jackson sat next to her, and she rolled her eyes.

"Hey, testicle left and right." He said to Scott and Stiles. "What the hell is a kanima?"

Rayne's eyes widened, and she stared at him. Jackson gave her a look, and Stiles shrugged.

"She's like Scott." He told Jackson.

"All right, listen up. A quick warning before we begin our review. Some of you, like McCall, might want to start their own study groups, because tomorrow's midterm is so profoundly difficult-I'm not even too sure I could pass it. Okay, I need a volunteer at the board to answer the first question. Who's got it, huh? Come on, let's go, buddy." Coach Finstock said loudly, drowning out most of Jackson's words.

"Paralyzed from the neck down. Do you have any idea what that feels like?" Jackson asked.

"I'm familiar with the sensation." Stiles said, and Jackson gave him an unmasked look of dislike.

"Wait, why would Derek test you? Why would he think that it's you?" Scott asked.

"How should I know?" Jackson said, and Rayne heard his heartbeat tick upward.

"Why are you lying?" She asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Do you want me to spell it out?" Rayne asked, and Jackson sighed.

"I'm not lying." He said, and Rayne rolled her eyes.

"Do they think that it's Lydia?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know. All I heard was her name and something about chemistry." Jackson said, and Rayne watched as he flinched when someone clicked their pen behind him.

"Jackson!" Finstock shouted. "Do you have something you want to share with the rest of the class?"

"Um," Jackson glanced around, "just an undying admiration for my, my coach."

"That's really kind of you." Finstock said with a smile. "Now shut up!" He shouted. "Shut it! Anybody else?"

"How do we know it's not her?" Scott asked Rayne and Stiles.

"Because I looked into the eyes of that thing, okay? And what I saw was pure evil. And when I look into Lydia's eyes, I only see 50% evil. All right, maybe 60. You know, but no more than 40 on a good day." Stiles said, and Rayne glanced at Jackson before looking back at him.

"Stiles, that's not a very good argument." Scott said.

"I'm aware of that, but I swear it's not her. It can't be, all right? Lydia's fine." Stiles said.

"Speaking of Lydia…" Rayne said as the redhead stood and moved to the front of the class. With rapid speed, she began writing on the board, her hand scribbling across its surface.

Rayne half-rose out of her seat when she heard a little sob escape from Lydia's mouth.

"Lydia?" She asked, because the chalk on the board wasn't normal writing. It didn't appear to be English.

"Lydia." Rayne stood and moved to the front of the class, towards Lydia.

"Lydia!" The coach said loudly, but Lydia didn't stop.

Rayne grabbed Lydia's shoulders, and Lydia jumped, staring straight at Rayne. Her eyes were terrified, and tears ran down her cheeks.

"Lydia? Are you okay?" Rayne asked her, and Lydia didn't speak. She didn't seem to know the answer.

Rayne looked at board. The same thing written over two dozen times. She rubbed her fingers over the words. It didn't seem to be English, but looking closer, she could make out a pattern.

Emplehenoemos.

_Someone help me._

"Oh, Lydia. What happened to you?" Rayne breathed out so quietly only she could hear.

"Rayne! If you'd like to return to your seat?" Finstock said, and Rayne turned away from the board, walking slowly back to her desk.

"Derek is not gonna kill her without proof." Scott said as the three of them walked into Chemistry.

"All right, so he tests her like he did with Jackson, right? But when and where?" Stiles said.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rayne asked, looking directly at where Erica and Isaac stood, staring at them.

They sat down, Rayne taking the table in front of Lydia's. Without realizing it, she had sat next to Isaac, who smirked at her. His eyes traveled down her body, and she resisted the urge to cover herself. She glanced back at Stiles helplessly. He was glaring at Isaac with furious eyes, and she held back a smile.

"Einstein once said, "Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; And I'm not sure about the universe. I myself have encountered infinite stupidity. So to combat the plague of ignorance in my class, you're going to combine efforts through a round of group experiments. Let's see if two heads are indeed better than one. Or in Mr. Stilinski's case, less than one." Mr. Harris said, looking with disdain at Stiles.

"Erica, you take the first station. You'll start with-" Mr. Harris said, and a dozen hands shot up, all belonging to guys.

"I didn't ask for volunteers." Mr. Harris said crossly. "Put your hormonal little hands down. Start with Ms. Moore. All right, next two."

Rayne stared with disbelief at Mr. Harris as he moved on.

"Too bad." Isaac said quietly to her. "I hoped we'd be partners."

"Then I count myself lucky." Rayne said lightly back as she moved to sit next to Erica, who had a feral grin on her face.

"Where's Derek? I need to talk to him." Rayne muttered.

"Talk to me instead. Or am I making you feel uncomfortable?" Erica asked with a smile, her eyelashes batting.

"Lydia has been through hell. If you hurt her in any way, I'll-"

"You'll what? Derek told me you didn't like killing." Erica said. "He talked about you a lot, actually."

Rayne stiffened. "I don't care what Derek has to say. Please, just-"

"Sorry, but, did you hear that?" Erica interrupted.

"Hear what?"

"The sound of your heart racing faster as I said his name. Look, I get it." Erica smiled. It would've been kind, but her eyes glinted maliciously. "Have you thought of him, Rayne? Dreamt of running your hands over that hot bod, his lips pressed against yours, feeling his heartbeat against your chest pounding away?"

"Can't say I have." Rayne said coolly.

Erica frowned. "Your heart says you're telling the truth. Funny, because you _sound_ like you're lying. But I can tell you something. Derek? He's every bit as hot in bed as he looks he would be."

Rayne smirked. "How would you know, Erica? Sounds to me like you're the one lying."

Erica snarled, and the bell dinged. Her face returned to its normal passive look in a second, but Rayne retained her grin.

_Rayne 1, Erica 0._

Rayne saw an empty seat besides Lydia, and took it. Isaac, at the back of the class, gave her a look of half-hate, half-admiration.

"Hey." Rayne smiled at Lydia, who half-smiled back.

"Listen, Lydia, don't talk to Isaac or Erica. Don't eat anything they give you, don't sit with them, nothing."

"Why are you guys being so weird today?" Lydia asked.

"Trust me, it's for your good." Rayne said urgently.

"And switch." Mr. Harris called out, and Rayne stood reluctantly. She moved to sit next to Stiles. As she sat down, he stood up abruptly, knocking over a chair in the process. Rayne looked back to Lydia, who was sitting next to a smiling Isaac.

"If you're trying to test my patience, Mr. Stilinski, I guarantee it'll be a failing grade." Mr. Harris said, and Stiles picked up the chair and sat back down angrily. His face was a storm cloud.

"It'll be okay." Rayne said, watching Lydia intently. The minutes ticked past both slowly and quickly.

"Time. If you've catalyzed the reaction correctly, you should now be looking at a crystal. Now for the part of that last experiment I'm sure you'll all enjoy-you can eat it." Mr. Harris said. Rayne looked in her and Stiles' beaker. Inside was brown mush, and she made a disgusted face at him.

She looked back at Lydia to see her carrying a pure crystal to her mouth. On the bottom, a clear liquid dripped. Lydia placed the crystal in her mouth.

"Lydia!" Rayne shouted, and Lydia jumped.

"What?" She said, taking the crystal out of her mouth and swallowing.

Rayne looked at the triumphant expression on Isaac's face and crossed her fingers.

_Please let her keel over. Please, please, please._ She begged, but nothing happened.

"I thought I saw a spider or a fly or something on the crystal."

"What? Ew. Gross." Lydia said. She tossed the crystal into the trashcan neatly, but the damage was done.

Rayne knew it wasn't possible. It wasn't Lydia. She had stared into the kanima's eyes, and she had recognized something. But not Lydia.

How could she explain this?

"Derek's outside waiting for Lydia." Scott told them after class. They had ducked into an empty classroom.

"Waiting to kill her?" Allison asked.

"Definitely. He's pissed about what happened at the pool." Rayne said, staring out the window. She could see Derek's black Camaro parked.

"It's not her." Stiles said.

"Stiles, she didn't pass the test, man. Nothing happened." Scott told him gently.

"No, it can't be her."

"I agree." Rayne said. "Lydia's…well, something's wrong with her, but she isn't angry. When I looked at the kanima, it was angry. Lydia isn't angry."

"It doesn't matter, because Derek thinks it's her. So either we can convince him that he's wrong, or we've got to figure out a way to protect her." Allison said.

"Well, I really don't think he's gonna do anything here, not at school." Scott glanced out the window.

"Are you sure?" Rayne murmured, and he didn't answer.

"What about after school? What if we can prove that Derek's wrong?" Allison asked.

"By three o'clock?" Stiles said.

"There could be something in the bestiary." Allison suggested.

"Oh, you mean the 900 page book written in archaic Latin that none of us can read? Good luck with that."

"We're going to save her, Stiles." Rayne said, and he looked at her with nervous eyes.

"Actually, I think I know someone who might be able to translate it." Allison said thoughtfully.

Scott sighed at their determined expressions.

"Uh, I can talk to Derek, maybe convince him to give us a chance to prove that it's not her. But if anything happens, you guys let me handle it, okay?" Scott said.

"Excuse me?" Rayne asked.

"Well, not you. Them." Scott said.

"What does that mean?" Allison asked.

"You can't heal like I do." Scott said lamely, and Allison glared at him.

"I just don't want you to get hurt." Scott said quietly.

"I can protect myself." Allison pulled out a mini-crossbow from her bag.

"What? Did something else happen?" Allison could pick up on Scott's reluctance so easily Rayne wondered if they really were soul mates.

"I just don't want you getting hurt. Seriously, if anything goes wrong, you call me, okay? I–I don't care if your dad finds out. Call, text, scream, yell, whatever. I'll hear you and I'll find you as fast as I can." Scott told her before looking back at Rayne and Stiles.

"We have until 3:00."

He turned to leave, and Rayne heard the whistle of an arrow. She ducked as Scott spun to catch the bolt.

"Ah. Sorry. Sorry." Stiles said, holding Allison's crossbow gingerly. "Sensitive trigger on that."

Allison took it from him, and he looked at Rayne sheepishly.

"Remind me to never let you fire a gun." She said, and he nodded fervently.

"Good plan. Fantastic plan."

Scott and Rayne headed up to the lacrosse field slowly. As they climbed the last bit of the stairs, Rayne glanced around for Derek but instead found Boyd, standing confidently, wearing a leather jacket.

"We want to talk to Derek." Scott called to him.

"Talk to me." Boyd said defiantly.

"I don't want to fight." Scott said as they reached him.

"Good, 'cause I'm twice the size of you." Boyd smirked, and Rayne felt something like disappointment. Not just in Boyd, but in Derek and Isaac and Erica.

"True. Really, really true. But wanna know what I think?" Scott said, and he lunged, knocking over Boyd.

"Scott!" Rayne said before shaking her head.

Scott stood.

"I'm twice as fast." He said, and a voice sounded next to Rayne's ear.

"She failed the test." Derek said, and Rayne turned to glare at him.

"Yeah, which doesn't prove anything. Lydia's different." Scott said.

"I know, at night she turns into a homicidal walking snake." Derek said sarcastically.

"Can we be somewhat rational about this?" Rayne said, and Scott stepped forward threateningly.

"I'm not going to let you kill her." He said coldly.

_Apparently not._

"Who said _I_ was gonna do it?" Derek asked, and Rayne's eyes narrowed.

Her legs moved before her body did, churning for the stairs, but something grabbed her middle and heaved her sideways, into Scott.

She coughed, rolling off of him, feeling as though her lungs had compressed.

"What do you think you're going to accomplish by killing an innocent, Derek?" She gasped at him.

"Saving lives." He answered.

"I don't know why you think you have to protect everyone now, Scott, but even so, Lydia has killed people and she's gonna do it again, and next time, it's gonna be one of us." Derek said. He reached out a hand to Scott, who took it. Derek then offered it to Rayne, who hesitated before taking it. He pulled her up, and she brushed off her jeans before looking straight at him.

"What if you're wrong?" Scott asked.

"She was bitten by an Alpha. It's her." Derek said.

"You saw that thing up close. You know it's not like us." Scott said, and Rayne blinked.

_I don't understand what's happening._

_It's because you don't have all the information. Don't talk, don't ask questions, just listen._

_And that'll work?_

_'Course, sweetheart._

"But it is! We're all shape-shifters. You don't know what you're dealing with. It happens rarely and it happens for a reason." Derek said, his voice rising in volume.

"What reason?" Scott asked.

"Sometimes the shape you take reflects the person that you are. Even Stiles calls her cold–blooded." Derek said, and something clicked.

"What did you say?" Rayne asked.

"The shape you take can reflect the person you are."

"No, after that."

"What, that Stiles calls her cold-blooded?" Derek asked impatiently.

Rayne nodded and half-smiled. "It's not Lydia."

"How do you know?" Derek asked. "She was immune to the poison."

"She also didn't heal after she was bitten by your psychotic uncle. And yes, I do know about that." Rayne said.

"Lydia is something. She is something strange, but she's not our kanima. Cold-blooded? Lydia? I think you're mistaking not trusting people for cold."

"How. Do. You. Know." Derek asked, and Rayne saw his fist clench.

"Because I know her."

"I think you're missing the key fact here. No one's immune! I've never seen it or heard of it. It's n– it's never happened." Derek shouted.

"You're lying." Rayne said.

"What about Jackson?" Scott asked. "That's why you tested him, isn't it? Because you gave him what he wanted, didn't you?"

"Scott-"

"Peter said the bite either kills you or turns you. You were probably hoping that he would die. But nothing happened, right? And you have no idea why, do you?" Scott asked.

There was a long pause.

"No." Derek said.

"Well, I have a theory. Lydia's immune, and somehow she passed it on to Jackson. You know I'm right." Scott said.

"No!" Derek shouted.

"You don't get it, do you?" Rayne asked.

"Being an Alpha isn't about running around turning teenagers with messed-up lives into werewolves. It isn't about going out and killing innocent people because they might be bad. We aren't killers, Derek!"

"I know!" Derek retorted.

"Then what is it?"

Derek didn't answer, and Rayne stepped back.

"I'm gonna go and save a friend of mine. You guys can continue with your testosterone match if you'd like. Or maybe Scott can talk some sense into you."

She turned and ran for the stairs, sprinting as fast as she could for the parking lot.

As she got there, she saw Stiles' blue Jeep just pulling out. She ran after it, tracing its path easily in her head. She just had to run home first.

By the time she got there, it was getting dark, and a row of four people waited outside.

Rayne snuck around the back and nodded quietly.

"Hello?" She heard Allison ask.

"It's Rayne." The door opened, and Rayne walked in.

"I saw Derek and his pack out front. What's going on?"

"I don't know. They've been standing there for about ten minutes now. Just waiting, I guess."

"Lydia?"

"Safe."

Rayne walked into the front hall to find Stiles watching.

"Where's Scott?"

"Not here." Stiles said half-bitterly.

Rayne set down her bag and reached in. She pulled out her weapon of choice, and Stiles jumped.

"What the holy hell?" He asked.

"Jeez, calm down. It's just a handgun."

"Why do you have a gun?"

"My dad." Rayne aimed it at the wall before lowering her arm. "Before he walked out on us, he taught me all sorts of useful tricks."

Stiles looked at her with suspicion in his eyes, and Rayne pleaded with him not to press. She didn't want questions about her father, not at all.

"Well, I like you about ten times more now, but it is a bit loud." Stiles said with a half-smile, and Rayne rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She put the gun back and pulled out a crossbow like Allison's.

"This better?"

"Um, yeah." Stiles said, nodding, eyes wide.

"Who are you?" Allison asked.

"Nobody. I'm nobody important."

"I got an idea. Just shoot one of 'em." Stiles said a few minutes later.

"Are you serious?" Allison asked.

"We told Scott we could protect ourselves, so let's do it. Or at least give it a shot, right?" Stiles said.

"Do it." Rayne nodded. "You're probably the better shot with a crossbow, anyway."

"Okay." Allison said doubtfully.

"Look, they don't think we're gonna fight, so if one of them gets hit, I guarantee they'll take off. So just shoot one of 'em." Stiles said.

"Which one?"

"Uh-Derek. Yeah, shoot him, preferably in the head."

"No, don't shoot him in the head." Rayne protested.

"I don't get why you trust him."

"I don't, I'm just not the killing type. I won't be responsible for it."

"If Scott was able to catch an arrow, Derek definitely can." Allison pointed out.

"Okay, uh, just shoot one of the other three then."

"Erica. Please shoot Erica in the knee or the stomach." Rayne said.

"You guys meant to say two, right?" Allison said.

"No, I mean three." Stiles said, and Rayne looked out the window.

"Where the hell is Isaac?" Stiles asked, and Rayne heard the soft scrape of shoe against wood.

"Move!" She shouted to Allison as Isaac threw her to the ground. He stared at Rayne with glowing eyes, and she jumped, transforming mid-air.

She didn't quite know what was going on, what her hands gripped, but Isaac was strong. He had no technique though, and she did.

Rayne leapt over his head, flipping and landing on her feet. Before he could react, she spun and shoved her shoulder into his back. He stumbled to the ground.

"I don't want to hurt you." She said, as he stood back up, more wary now.

"Sucks for you." Isaac jumped, and Rayne dodged easily, raking her claws down his side.

He stumbled, but the wounds were shallow. They were already healing.

"I thought you didn't want to."

"It's kind of a personal mission to save innocent people." Rayne said, and she stepped forward, her hands shoving Isaac back. He tore at her with his claws, but she kicked forward. He stumbled into the front hall, and Rayne let out a shout of exertion as she roundhouse-kicked him across the face. He stumbled, and she looked at him sadly. He was her age, and she was fighting him when they both should be doing other things. They should be homework or going out to the movies with friends.

"You would do great in our pack, you know." He said, and she sighed.

"I'm good, thanks."

She grabbed the front of his jacket and threw him at the door. He flew through it, sailing down the front lawn to rest a few feet from Derek. Erica followed, and Rayne exchanged a smile with Allison, who looked pleased. Scott followed behind, next to Stiles. Rayne hadn't seen him arrive.

Rayne walked out triumphantly, facing Derek and his pack, crippled now. Scott stood next to her, glowering at Derek viciously.

"Thank you for protecting them." He whispered.

"Of course. They're my friends too." Rayne said.

"I think I'm finally getting why you keep refusing me, Scott. You're not an omega, you're already an Alpha of your own pack." Derek said. "But you know you can't beat me."

He grinned then. "And it's kinda awkward, Rayne being there, a Beta, below you. Anyone can see she's more powerful. I mean, there's the professional hand-to-hand training, the array of weapons, not to mention the empathy, the natural leadership skills, the whole hero-complex-"

_You're forgetting the secrets, the lies I have had to tell, the trust issues, the weakness of not killing, the conversations I have in my head, the hero-complex… _

"Do you mind shutting up?" Rayne interjected.

"You know I'm right. In my pack, you could do so much more." Derek said seriously, and Rayne shrugged.

"There's more to being an Alpha than being a good fighter. Scott is the Alpha. And I didn't pick up any of that being a werewolf." Rayne heard sirens in the distance.

"Which raises the question again. Who are you?" Derek asked, his smile gone. Rayne glanced at her friends to find them staring expectantly at her.

"Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Lydia asked, storming out of the house, her makeup streaked and eyes puffy. Rayne let out an exhale of relief. Her secrets would stay that way for today.

Rayne felt a surge of anger pressing against her head. She gasped, pressing a hand to her temples in a futile attempt to relieve the pain.

"Rayne?"

"He's here." She whispered.

"He?" Derek asked, and Rayne heard a hiss. She looked, half-doubled over in a headache, up at the roof. The scaly creature crept along. As she looked, it met her eyes and shrieked. Its tail whipped through the air as it sprang away. With it went the rage, the aching pressure gone from her mind.

"You okay?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, fine." Rayne said.

"You know what this means, don't you?" She added so silently only he could hear.

Scott nodded. "It's Jackson." He breathed out.


	5. Can't Speak

**The next chapter has arrived (cue drumroll please). Sorry, I am in a weird mood. But this chapter is still good, I promise. You'll learn a bit more about Rayne's past and she has a couple good moments with Derek and Stiles!**

**I'm already thinking about songs I should put for the beginning of Rayne and Derek's relationship even though it won't happen until Season 3B. There are two many perfect options and I feel overwhelmed.**

**Thanks to PsychoticSmartyPants, megladon1616, DTaylor201989, floweringbirdies, and . for reviewing.**

**Please review, it means the world to me.**

**My mouth is dry**

**With words I cannot verbalize**

**Tell me why we live like this**

**We Are Broken- Paramore**

Rayne sprinted after the kanima, her feet pushing off the ground silently. Her eyes traced his form flying over the roofs.

There was a huff of breath from behind her, and she glanced back. Derek followed her, his gaze fixed on the kanima as well.

They ran for over ten minutes at that speed before the kanima disappeared into the lattice of the ironworks. Rayne slowed to a halt, circling. She was barely breathing hard, and, she noticed, neither was Derek. They stared in opposite directions for a second.

"Anything?" Derek asked her.

"No." Rayne said, and she heard the sound of something heavy dropping from above, followed by a hiss.

Derek growled back, his eyes changing to a vibrant red. Rayne lowered onto her haunches and sprung, changing herself into a half-wolf.

The kanima clawed at her side, but Rayne twisted out of the way just in time. It wasn't a great fighter, just fast and strong. She could see that as she watched Derek exchange blows with it and he kicked it over with a powerful flip. He lunged for it, but the kanima ducked, ramming its head into Derek's stomach. He went sprawling, and Rayne leapt in front of him, every muscle tenses. The kanima screeched at her, lowering to all fours, and Rayne took a step back. Her foot nudged a piece of discarded metal, and she got an idea.

Grabbing the metal and throwing it in front of her as a shield, she stood as the kanima came at her. Its fists whirled rapidly, pushing her back, but within a few seconds, she felt Derek shoving against it as well. With a sideways look at Derek, Rayne threw all her weight against the sheet metal. Derek did the same thing, and the kanima flew back. It landed agilely on all fours and scrambled away. Rayne watched furiously as it climbed to the ceiling, wanting to rip it apart and yet holding back her irrational fury.

Sparks flew, and Rayne bent over, her eyes blinded by the brightness. She couldn't see anything but spots, and she realized then she had underestimated the kanima. It was intelligent all right, and it had used her weaknesses against her.

Sharp claws threw her back, and she crashed into the wall. Almost immediately, something dragged her back.

A strong hand held her against the other side of the stone pillar. Derek stared at her as gunshot after gunshot went off. The kanima screeched at its attacker and Rayne flattened herself against the wall even more as the bangs stopped and silence fell.

She and Derek were only just breathing. She couldn't see the rise and fall of his chest as they waited silently.

Rayne kept her ears peeled for any other sounds. That was how she heard it, the slither of scales. There was a hiss, and the clicking of a gun emptied of bullets. Rayne felt a flicker of panic from the unknown attacker, and she pulled away from Derek, who made a grab for her arm as she dashed around the pillar.

The attacker crashed into it as she rounded it. His eyes were unfocused, and the moment she recognized him, she hid her face.

She was saving Chris Argent, of all people.

She snarled at the kanima, which hesitated before whipping its tail back and forth. As it prepared to spring, and Rayne readied herself, she saw Chris's car door opening.

Her feet threw her away from the scene, covering her identity, hiding herself. Derek split from the shadows and followed her as they ran.

They stopped quickly, still close enough to track the kanima. Rayne was full of pumping adrenaline after the short fight, and she could hear Derek's heart racing just as fast.

"What now?" She asked.

"Track it. See where it goes." Derek said shortly, scanning the area.

Rayne watched him search meticulously in the dark shadows.

"What?" He asked her, and she blinked, realizing she had been staring.

"Nothing." She paused.

"Actually, I was wondering something. You just became the Alpha. Scott explained what happened. But I still don't get why." Rayne asked tentatively.

Derek looked at her.

"I was tired of being a Beta, always one notch lower. And so when I got the chance, to not only get revenge on my sister but to achieve that desire, I took it. Wouldn't you do the same?"

"You know I wouldn't."

Derek looked her in the eye, his sparkling with cold energy.

"No. I suppose not. But you have to know that we are stronger together. We fought well back there. I trust my pack with my life, and they trust me with theirs. I get it. You already trust Stiles and Scott and Allison. And you said you could trust me."

"I did, didn't I?" Rayne said absentmindedly.

"Look, Derek, I'm sorry. But you don't want me in your pack. I'd never tell you all my secrets, and that would rip your pack apart."

Derek looked disappointed. "And if I need your help?"

Rayne dug in her pocket for her phone. "Give me a call." She tossed him it, and he looked at it for a second before punching her number into his own.

"Why did you save Chris Argent? He'd probably kill you if he had the chance. I know he would." He asked her, handing her back her cell.

Rayne shrugged. "I save everyone I can."

"What happened in your past to make you feel so guilty?"

Rayne froze.

"Wh-what? H-how did you…?"

"I can see it. In your eyes. You did something, and you feel so responsible that you think it's your obligation to save everyone. What could it have been?"

Rayne looked away from him, unable to meet his piercing gaze. "I made a mistake. A horrible one. And I'm trying to fix it."

"We all make mistakes."

"You don't know what I did, and if you did, you would understand why I just can't forgive myself."

Derek looked even more curious, but he began walking off.

"Come on. We have a kanima to find."

They traced the reptile through the ironworks to a club. Rayne could feel the ground beating with the bass.

"Go in and get him." Derek nodded to the entrance.

Rayne looked at the line.

"No way."

"Why not?"

"I don't really think it's my kind of club." Rayne looked pointedly at the men standing in line. Derek's eyes widened before they narrowed in annoyance.

He stalked toward the entrance. Rayne saw him chatting up the bouncer, a smile slipping onto his lips. It didn't look natural to her, but Rayne thought he looked gorgeous when he smiled.

He entered the club, and Rayne sniffed the air. She couldn't see anything, but there was something familiar about the perfume on the air.

Then it hit her. Chemistry class. She smelled it every day.

"Oh my god." She said, and she raced for the entrance.

She could smell Armani.

She rushed inside, past the bouncer, and immediately heard a scream. As she raced into the crowd, pushing past the running people, her foot caught on something.

She plummeted, her instincts catching her on her elbows. She was just getting up when a couple hands grabbed her waist.

"Rayne!" Stiles shouted.

"Stiles? What-?"

"The kanima paralyzed someone. We need to get outside." Stiles began dragging her to the door. Rayne looked around and saw a line of unconscious bodies on the floor. No Derek, no Scott, no kanima.

Stiles dragged her by the arm along with the pushing crowd, his grip so tight she couldn't have lost him if she tried.

They sprung through to the outside, and Stiles scanned the crowd. Rayne assumed he was searching for Scott.

"Over here." She called, seeing a glimpse of dark brown hair by a car. She ran to it and saw Scott, kneeling on the ground, bending over an unconscious and bloodied Jackson.

"Derek?" Rayne asked, and Scott looked up. He nodded grimly, and Rayne sighed. She knelt besides Jackson, propping his head on her knees. She inspected his wounds. Four scratches, all shallow, probably already healing.

"What do we do with him now?" Scott asked, and Rayne heard Stiles run up.

"He'll be fine. We just need to get him out of here." She said, and Stiles's mouth opened.

"You have that look on your face." Rayne said.

"This is just my face."

"No, that's your 'I have a brilliant but stupid and risky idea' face."

"Well, I do have a brilliant but stupid and risky idea."

Rayne rolled her eyes. "Fantastic."

She waited in the shotgun seat for Scott to come back. She watched him climb into the backseat and cringed as he nearly stepped on Jackson's hand.

"Couldn't get anything out of Danny." He said.

"Okay, can we just get the hell outta here now, before one of my dad's deputies sees me?" Stiles said, jamming the keys into the ignition.

A car pulled up in front of them, and Stiles shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Could this get any worse?" He asked, and Jackson groaned in the backseat.

"That was rhetorical!" Stiles shouted at him.

"Get rid of him." Scott said as Stiles' dad got out of the car.

"Don't be an idiot." Rayne said.

"Get rid of him? We're at a crime scene, and he's the sheriff." Stiles added.

"Do something!" Scott said, and Stiles slid out of the car. Rayne watched as he walked toward his dad and they began talking.

"What's– what's going on?" Jackson slurred, and Rayne glanced back at him worriedly.

"Jackson, Jackson, be quiet." Scott.

"Yeah, like that's gonna work." Rayne said in a whisper.

"Do you have a better plan?"

"I don't know, knocking him out again?"

Jackson groaned again.

"Jackson, be quiet." Scott said.

"What's happening?" Jackson said, and Rayne gave him an uppercut punch. His head lolled back as he fell unconscious.

"Sorry, but we can't risk him freaking out right now." She said to Scott.

Stiles came back and pressed his foot to the gas, speeding out of the crime scene.

"Uh, what about your house?" He suggested.

"Not with my mom there. We need to take him somewhere where we can hold him long enough to figure out what to do with him. Or long enough to convince him he's dangerous." Scott said.

"What about your place?" Stiles asked Rayne.

"I am _not_ putting my mom in danger." She said vehemently.

"I still say we just kill him." Stiles said.

"We're not killing him!" Scott and Rayne said unanimously.

"God, fu– Okay, okay. I got an idea." Stiles said.

'Does it involve breaking the law?" Scott asked.

"Of course it does. Can't you see his face?" Rayne sighed.

"By now, don't you think that's a given, Scott?" Stiles said.

"I was just trying to be optimistic." Scott said.

"Don't bother." Stiles said.

"Look, I need to get home." Rayne said abruptly, remembering her mom. "My mom needs me to be there right now."

Scott and Stiles exchanged a not-so-subtle glance.

"We'll keep you updated." Scott said, and Rayne quickly gave Stiles directions to her house.

They pulled up a little past midnight, but lights were still on in Rayne's house.

"Thanks guys. Good luck." She said as she got out.

"I'll walk you up." Stiles stumbled out of the Jeep and walked beside her as she faced the front door.

"You want to talk about what's really bothering you?"

"Not really."

"Okay. That's okay. You don't need to tell me."

Rayne's words wanted to be said. They wanted to spill over, and in the silence, she just admitted part of the truth. The things she couldn't say stayed in her mouth, creating a bitter taste that she swallowed.

"My dad." She said, and Stiles looked at her.

"He left, about a month ago. We were really close, but it hit my mom the hardest. One day, he just packed up his bags and walked out. It's hard, having to be the strong one." Rayne looked at the front door and thought about how much she didn't want to go in, where she would have to face her past again.

"My mom died a few years ago. My dad has never recovered. Ever. So I get it."

Rayne looked at Stiles. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I shouldn't be complaining-"

"Let's not go into all that, please. It was a long time ago." Stiles said with a half-smile.

Rayne nodded and walked the last few steps to her front door. She placed a hand on the doorknob and immediately felt swept away by the pain. She wondered how Stiles couldn't feel the sorrow coursing through the ground and through her. She could hear the soft sounds of her mother's sobs echoing through the house, and feel her hurt and grief over someone that Rayne wanted to cry over. Because they had both lost someone who wouldn't come back, and it was Rayne's fault.

And the worst part was, she couldn't cry over it. She had to stand strong, and be the comforter, because her mother wasn't Rayne. She was the kind of person to suffer and show it. Rayne was wounded, but she had grown up being trained to always seem strong. When Rayne was at her weakest, she had to stay the strongest.

She slumped against the door, allowing herself a brief moment of weakness. A tear dripped from her nose, splatting on the pavement.

That was all she could have.

She straightened, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and twisted the doorknob.

Her body followed the sound of crying to the living room. Rayne walked to her crying mother and wrapped her arms around her and held her like a child, because she was the strong one, and that was what she had to be. This was the way she had to live until they were both strong enough to move on.

The next day at school, Rayne didn't see Jackson or Stiles. Scott looked tense, and she thought she knew why.

Cameras were being set up all over the school, video cameras in every corner. Rayne saw Gerard walking down the hall and ducked into an empty classroom; worried he might recognize something about her. Her muscles were tense all day.

It wasn't until last period that she got a call from Stiles, telling her to come to the cliff in the Reserve. And so the moment the bell rang, she took off.

Scott met them there, and he quickly explained about the favor Danny was doing for Jackson.

"If Jackson doesn't remember being the kanima, he's definitely not gonna remember stealing Danny's tablet." Scott said as Rayne looked over Beacon Hills, glittering below.

"Why would he steal the thing if he doesn't even know what's on it?" Stiles asked.

"What if someone else took it?" Allison said.

"Scott, didn't you say the lock on the trunk had been disabled? Jackson would've just ripped the cover apart." Rayne pointed out.

"Then somebody else knows what he is." Stiles said.

"Which could mean someone's protecting him." Scott added.

"Like the bestiary says, "the kanima seeks a friend," right?" Allison said.

"Something about that doesn't sound right. A friend? Who would be friends with a scaly reptile like that? No offense to Jackson, but most people would run for the hills." Rayne said with a glance at the police van.

"Okay, hold on. So, somebody watches Jackson make a video of himself turning into the kanima, and then just erases part of it so he wouldn't know? I mean, who would do that?" Stiles asked.

"Somebody who wanted to protect him?" Allison suggested.

"Or protect themselves." Rayne said.

"There's something else. You said the only thing you found online about the kanima is that it goes after murderers. What if that's actually true?" Scott asked.

"No, it can't be. Tried to kill all of us, remember? I don't know about you two, but I haven't murdered anybody lately." Stiles said.

"But I–I don't think that it was actually trying to kill us. Remember when we were at Isaac's the first time, it just went right by us, didn't it?" Scott asked Allison.

"You're right, it just ran off."

"And it didn't kill you in the mechanic's garage." Scott said to Stiles.

"Are you forgetting the whole three hours floating in a pool thing?" Rayne asked.

"Did it actually try to kill you?" Scott asked.

Rayne hesitated, but Stiles plowed on.

"It would've. It was waiting for us to come out."

"What if it was trying to keep you in?" Scott asked.

"Why do I feel so violated all of a sudden?" Stiles shivered.

"The deaths are in a pattern. When Derek and I tracked it, it didn't kill Derek, and he's killed people. Something else is going on. Why would someone protect it? Why doesn't Jackson remember?" Rayne said.

"Know thy enemy." Allison said softly, and everyone looked at her.

"Just something my grandfather said." She supplied.

"Okay, please don't quote your grandfather? No offense, but he'd kill all of us except for you in a second. And not pleasantly either. More of a cut-us-in-half type of way." Rayne said.

"How would you know that?" Scott asked.

"I've had run-ins with Argents before." Rayne said.

There was a brief pause.

"All right, I got it. Kill Jackson. Problem solved." Stiles said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?" Rayne asked.

"He risked his life for us. Against Peter, you remember that?" Scott asked angrily.

"Yes, but what did we just find out? He got the bite from Derek. It's funny how he just got exactly what he wanted by supposedly risking his life for us, it's funny." Stiles said.

"Yeah, it doesn't mean he's not still worth saving." Scott said.

"It's always something with him, though." Stiles protested.

"You can't be serious." Rayne said angrily.

"I'm am completely serious. You just got here, Rayne. You haven't known Jackson for that long. He's killed people. Innocent people. One right in front of me, if you've forgotten." Stiles said, his voice rising in volume.

"I haven't forgotten!" Rayne said fiercely. "But if we kill him, what does that make us? Murderers? Cold-blooded killers! Is that what you want to become?"

Stiles looked away from her.

"Can't you see how alone he is, how desperate he is to be loved? Can't you understand how that feels?" Rayne asked him.

"He's killing people, Rayne!"

"And I don't care! Because he deserves to be saved! He deserves to have someone who shows that they care about him. Can't we be that?" Rayne looked at her friends. Scott looked at her with agreement on his face, Allison stared at Scott, and Stiles, while he met her eyes, didn't look entirely convinced.

"Please, Stiles, I don't want to fight with you. But can't we at least try?" Rayne asked, and Stiles sighed.

"Yeah, fine, I don't want to fight either." Stiles said, and Rayne exhaled, letting out her adrenaline and energy.

She sat down on the cliff. Time crept on, and her eyelids began drooping. She could barely keep awake anymore. She looked around to see Scott and Allison in the car, talking, and Stiles no where to be found. She leaned back against a fallen tree and closed her eyes.

_Finish it!_

_Rayne looked toward the snarling beast. It wore his clothes. She missed the old him, but his eyes already glowed red. She couldn't believe how quickly things had happened._

_Go on. Be a leader. It was what you were born for._

_Rayne raised her gun to shoot, and the werewolf leaped for her throat. She flew backwards, and his teeth sank into her shoulder before she could react._

_Her knife plunged into his heart, and he growled once before becoming dead weight. She shoved him off and looked at the bite. Footsteps made their way towards her, and she moved her hair to cover the blood. _

_ Well done. _

_Rayne looked down at the body. It was transforming back into the body of a fifteen-year-old boy, his eyes sightless but still familiar. Her best friend's corpse was at her feet, and she felt so cold and so empty._

_I know it's hard, but he killed people. It was our duty._

_Rayne looked at the older man and nodded._

_Come on, sweetheart. It's time to go home. Mom's waiting._

_What about him?_

_I'll come back to bury him. Don't worry._

_I killed him._

_I know. You hesitated. You can never hesitate._

_Rayne knew her father wouldn't hesitate to kill her as she walked through the woods._

Rayne woke up to a hand shaking her awake.

"You were shaking. I was worried you'd fall off the side." Stiles looked at the cliff, then back at Rayne.

"You're crying. Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah, fine. Just allergies." Rayne lied easily, knowing that Stiles couldn't sense her heartbeat.

She stood up and stretched, looking at the van. She squinted.

"What's up with the…?" Her voice trailed off, and she sprinted closer.

She looked inside the empty van, the doors hanging twisted from their hinges.

"Damn it!" She cursed.

"Whoa." Stiles said, looking inside.

Rayne looked toward the car where Scott and Allison had been. She and Stiles ran over to the door and Rayne knocked loudly on the window.

Scott and Allison jerked awake, Allison clutching a blanket around her body.

"You guys might wanna come take a look at this." Stiles said.

They got dressed while Stiles and Rayne looked away and as a group, they headed over to the van.

"I have to tell my father." Allison said. Scott looked at the van dazed. "Scott. He's going to kill someone." Allison said sharply.

"Okay, tell him. Tell him everything." Scott said.

"Are you sure?" Rayne said.

"We can't do this on our own anymore." Scott said.

"Scott, I gotta tell mine too." Stiles said. Scott looked totally devastated.

"This is all my fault."

"It's not. But we have to tell them. We're just a bunch of teenagers. We can't handle this." Allison said.

"You're right." Scott agreed.

"You'll be putting them in danger." Rayne warned. "I wish my mom didn't know."

"I know. But with the police force-"

Rayne bit her lip. "They can't handle this."

"I think he deserves to know." Stiles said softly.

Rayne looked at his worried eyes and nodded silently.

"How you gonna make your dad believe all this?" Allison asked Stiles.

"I don't know."

Scott turned toward them, his eyes glowing yellow.

"He'll believe me." Scott said, and Rayne moved to stand by him.

"Us." She said, her own eyes turning amber.

Scott, Stiles, and Rayne made their way to the police station.

"Could you buzz us in? I gotta see my dad." Stiles told the man at the front desk, who opened the door for them.

Stiles hesitated at the entrance, looking back at Scott and Rayne. Scott nodded and Rayne smiled encouragingly, though she still had doubts.

"Scott, Stiles, Rayne. Perfect timing." Sheriff Stilinski said as the trio walked in. Rayne's eyes landed on a familiar, smirking face. Jackson smiled at her triumphantly.

"Have you met Jackson's father, Mr. David Whittemore? Esquire." The sheriff said.

"That means lawyer." Jackson said with a devilish smile, and Rayne's stomach sank through the floor.


	6. Pack

**Hey guys! It's finally Friday, thank god, and here's the latest chapter of The Impossible Girl. Thank you so much to all my reviewers and for those of you who asked about full-wolf changes, I can't promise anything but there will definitely be more.**

**Please review and enjoy!**

**This road never looked so lonely**

**This house doesn't burn down slowly**

**To ashes, to ashes **

**It's Time- Imagine Dragons**

"If Jackson doesn't know what he's doing, then he probably doesn't know that someone's controlling him." Stiles said into the phone as they waited for Jackson's dad and Mr. Stilinski to come back.

Rayne felt a pit in her stomach as she realized her mother would be called.

"Or he doesn't remember." Scott said.

"What if it's the same kind of thing that happened with Lydia when she took off from the hospital?" Stiles asked.

"What, like a fugue state?" Rayne asked.

"He'd have to forget everything. The murder-" Scott said.

"Getting rid of the blood." Allison added over the phone.

"Yeah, he had help with one thing tough, the video. And someone else helped him forget that." Stiles said.

"Whoever's controlling him." Scott said.

"But who is it?" Rayne asked. "And why?"

"I don't know. Are you sure Jackson has no clue about any of this?" Allison asked.

"He thinks he's still becoming a werewolf and that being with Lydia somehow delayed the whole thing." Stiles said.

"Idiot." Rayne muttered.

"So do we try and convince him he's not?" Allison asked.

"If it helps us find out who's controlling him, then yeah." Scott said.

"Somehow, I don't think he'll listen after we kidnapped him." Rayne said sarcastically.

"Rayne has a point. Do you think he'll talk to us after what we did?" Allison asked.

"Yeah, it's us. He'll talk to us. Right?" Stiles said optimistically.

"You will not go within 50 feet of Jackson Whittemore. You will not speak to him. You will not approach him. You will not assault or harass him physically or psychologically." Sheriff Stilinski read to the trio as Mr. Whittemore watched silently. Scott's mom and Rayne's mom stood in the doorway. Rayne's mom was giving her the stink-eye, and Rayne sank lower in her chair.

"What about school?" Stiles asked after a beat of silence, and Rayne rolled her eyes.

_Here we go._

"You can attend classes while attempting to maintain a 50–foot distance." Sheriff Stilinski said.

"Bu-" Stiles began again. "Okay, what if we both have to use the bathroom at the same time and there's only two stalls available and they're only right next to each other?"

Rayne kicked him under the chair, and he winced, shooting her a glance. "I'll just hold it." He said quickly.

"What were you thinking?" Rayne's mom hissed at her.

"Mom, I swear, I was trying to help."

"Trying to help! Trying to help who, Rayne Moore, because you certainly aren't helping yourself anymore."

"I was trying to save Jackson."

"From who!"

"Himself!"

Naomi Moore's angry expression faded.

"He's one of you, isn't he?"

"Kind of." Rayne sighed. "It's complicated. He's changing into something, and he doesn't know, and he's killing people."

Her mother sighed and Rayne noticed tears in her eyes. "I wish you didn't have this need to save everyone." She said. "I just want you to be safe."

"It's who I am."

"I know." Her mom nodded. "I know. And I want to help."

"No!" Rayne said. "I'm not having you involved. I don't want you anywhere near this. Let me handle it, please, Mom. Let me take care of you. You took care of me for the past six months, hiding my secret. It's my turn."

"That's not how parenting works."

"I don't care."

Her mom sighed again and smiled slightly. "I'll see you in the car. Don't take too long."

Rayne looked at Stiles and Scott, who stared at her with annoyance.

"What?"

"Your mom is the nicest, freaking most-understanding, ugh, I can't even describe how much I hate you right now." Stiles said.

"Trust me, it's more trouble than it's worth." Rayne said.

"And I'm the worst son ever." Scott groaned, and Rayne heard raised voices.

"Well, I'm not exactly winning any prizes either." Stiles said grimly as he looked at Jackson's father arguing with Sheriff Stilinski. Rayne looked at her friends and felt a rush of relief her mother knew everything.

They were in the library when Allison walked past on the opposite side of the bookshelf. She slid the tablet through and Scott grabbed it. "It's everything Lydia can translate. And trust me, she was very confused." Allison told them.

"Yeah, what'd you tell her?" Scott asked curiously.

"That we were part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures." Allison said, and Rayne laughed.

"I am part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures." Stiles said, looking at her.

"And you wonder why you don't have a girlfriend." Rayne said to him, and he shoved her gently. She let out another short laugh.

"Okay, does it say how to find out who's controlling him?" Scott asked.

"Not really. But Stiles was right about the murderers." Allison said.

"Yes!"

"It calls the kanima a weapon of vengeance. There's a story in there about this South American priest who uses the kanima to execute murderers in his village-" Allison said.

"All right, see? So maybe it's not all that bad." Stiles said.

"Until the bond grew strong enough that it killed whoever he wanted it to." Allison finished.

"All bad, all very, very bad." Stiles said, and Rayne gave him an exasperated look.

"Make up your mind."

"Here's the thing, though. The kanima's actually supposed to be a werewolf. But it can't be-" Allison began.

"Until it resolves that in its past which manifested it." Scott finished.

"Okay, if that means that Jackson could use a few thousand hours of therapy, I could've told you that myself." Stiles said.

"We could all use some therapy, and we're not psychotic reptile creatures." Rayne said.

"What if…it has something to do with his parents? His real parents." Allison suggested.

"Yeah, does anybody actually know what happened to them?" Scott asked.

"Lydia might." Stiles said.

"Or Danny." Rayne added.

"What if Lydia doesn't know anything?" Scott asked.

"Well, he doesn't have a restraining order against me, so I'll talk to him myself." Allison said.

"Okay, what do I do?" Scott asked.

"You have a make–up exam, remember?" Allison reminded him, and he tensed.

"Promise me, if he does anything, you run the other way." Scott said.

"I can take care of myself." Allison said.

"Allison, if you get hurt while I'm busy with some stupid test, someone's going to need to take care of me. If he does anything-"

"Like?"

"Anything, weird or bizarre, anything."

"Anything evil!" Stiles stuck his head through the bookshelf. A moment later he was shoved back.

"Ah, ow." He said as Rayne laughed.

Rayne was walking down the hall when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Hey." A leather-clad arm went around her shoulder, and she shrugged it off.

"What do you want, Isaac?" She asked.

"Just talking." Isaac said innocently.

"Please."

"No, I'm serious."

"Look, if Derek wants to get to know me or wants me with his pack, he should really make more of an effort." Rayne said, meeting Isaac's blue eyes.

"I dunno about Derek, but I want you desperately."

Rayne shook her head. "I thought you used to be the sweet one."

"Sweet is boring. No one gave me a glance when I was sweet. I was just background noise. Now, everyone's looking at me."

"Background noise is better, Isaac. It keeps you safe." Rayne said.

"You don't have to be in the background."

"Maybe I like it. Maybe I enjoy going unnoticed."

Isaac laughed. "Derek was right about you."

"What about me?" Rayne asked.

"He said you had no idea how much everyone stares."

"No one _stares. _Don't be silly."

"Yes, they do. Everyone wants to know, who you are. You think you're background noise, but every girl wants to have what you have, and every horny guy in this school wants you in his bed."

Rayne gave him a skeptical look.

"I don't understand how someone as beautiful as you can't see that."

Rayne laughed. "You're ridiculous. I'm not beautiful."

"It's completely true."

Rayne paused as she heard a crash.

"Did you hear that?" She asked.

"What?"

Rayne listened harder and heard another crash.

"I've got to go." She said, and she hurried toward the sounds.

She began running when she got around the corner, sprinting for the boys' locker room. When she rounded the last corner, she saw a broken door and Stiles holding back Scott as Erica tried to restrain Jackson. Allison was standing by the door.

Rayne leapt to grab Jackson, holding him back against the wall with all her strength.

"What the hell's going on?" Mr. Harris came around the corner, and Rayne sighed inwardly, exchanging a glance with Erica.

"Hey! Enough! Enough. What do you idiots think you're doing?" He shouted.

"Jackson! Calm down! Mr. McCall, you wanna explain yourself? Stilinski!" Mr. Harris asked, and Rayne let go of Jackson as he stopped struggling.

"You dropped this." A guy, Matt, Rayne thought he was called, handed Mr. Harris a tablet. Instantly, Rayne got shivers up and down her spine.

"You and you," Mr. Harris gestured to Scott and Stiles, "actually, all of you, detention. Three o'clock."

Rayne's mouth dropped slightly in outrage as Mr. Harris strode away.

"Oh, uh– we can't be in detention together. I have a restraining order against these tools." Jackson said as they all sat down.

"All of these tools?" Mr. Harris asked.

"No, just us tools." Stiles raised a hand, gesturing to Scott, Rayne, and himself.

"Fine. You three, over there." Mr. Harris said. Rayne grudgingly moved over to the farthest table, sitting next to Stiles.

"I'm gonna kill him." Scott said through gritted teeth.

"No, you're not. You're going to find out who's controlling him and then you're gonna help save him." Stiles said consolingly.

"No. You were right, let's kill him." Scott answered.

"Um, no. We already discussed that option." Rayne chimed in as she took out her art pad and began sketching.

"What are you doing?" Stiles asked.

"Drawing."

"Can I see?"

"This thing is basically my diary, so, uh, no." Rayne said. In that diary, she had drawn her father leaving, her mother crying, her best friend as a werewolf…no.

Stiles grimaced before brightening again. "Hey. What if it's Matt? I mean, this whole thing comes back to the video, right?"

"Danny said that Matt was the one who found the two hours of footage missing." Scott pointed out.

"Exactly! He's trying to throw suspicion off himself." Stiles said.

Rayne thought about the possibility. She didn't like Matt, but she hardly thought he was a psycho murderer.

"So he makes Jackson kill Isaac's dad, one of Argent's hunters, and the mechanic working on your jeep?" Scott asked.

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because he's evil."

"You just don't like him." Scott said with a smirk.

'The guy bugs me. I don't know what it is. Just look at his face." Stiles said with a shiver.

"Me too, but it doesn't mean he's "the Master"." Rayne told him.

"Any other theories?" Scott asked, and they all looked at each other. Rayne returned to her drawing.

About an hour passed where Stiles and Scott talked about Erica. Rayne stayed quiet and was about halfway done with her drawing, which she was keeping hidden from Stiles, who peered over her shoulder every few seconds.

"I have to go to the bathroom." Jackson stood up suddenly, and Rayne stared at him. His face was pale and sweating as he walked out.

"Are you all right? Hey, you don't look so good." Mr. Harris said.

"I just need to get some water."

Mr. Harris followed him out. "No one leaves their seats." He said over his shoulder. The moment he left, the three of them got up and moved to Erica's table, where she sat alone.

"Stiles says you know how Jackson's parents died." Scott said.

"Maybe." Erica answered before smiling at Rayne, who was thrown off.

"Nice drawing." She said, and Rayne held the pad to her chest as she blushed.

"What is it?" Stiles asked.

"Erica, don't."

"And you told me you didn't have feelings for him."

"I don't. It's a doodle. I do doodle. You too. You do doodle too." Rayne said awkwardly. Stiles gave her a look.

"Did you just quote Buffy the Vampire-?"

"Yes, can we move on please?"

"Talk." Scott interrupted.

"It was a car accident. My dad was the insurance investigator, and every time he sees Jackson drive by in his Porsche, he makes some comment about the huge settlement he'll be getting when he's 18." Erica explained.

"So not only is Jackson rich now, but he's getting even richer at 18?" Stiles asked.

"Yep."

"There's something so deeply wrong with that." Stiles said bitterly.

"You know what? I could try to find the insurance report on my dad's inbox." Erica opened her computer, still talking. "He keeps everything."

"Scott McCall, please report to the principal's office." The speaker crackled, and Rayne's eyes widened. She stared at Scott, who looked as shocked as she felt. He stood up and walked out of the room, and Rayne watched him leave. As he left, Jackson and Mr. Harris walked back into the room.

"Whoa, look the dates." Stiles said suddenly.

"What about them?" Rayne asked.

"Passengers arrived at the hospital DOA. The estimated time of death– 9:26 P.M., June 14, 1995." Erica read.

"Jackson's birthday is June 15th." Stiles said, and Rayne absorbed that information.

"That means…" She trailed off. "Oh my god."

She heard the sound of a zipper closing and looked toward Mr. Harris, who had collected his things. She began packing up, as did everyone else. Mr. Harris began laughing, and she paused.

"Oh, no, I'm sorry. Uh, yes, I'm leaving. But none of you are. You may go when you're done with the re-shelving. Enjoy the rest of your evening." Mr. Harris said with a grin, and Rayne dropped her bag, staring at the two full carts of books they had to repack.

"It means he was born after his mom died, by C-section. They had to pull him out of her dead body." Stiles told Scott and Allison as they re-shelved.

"So was it an accident or not?" Allison asked.

"The word all over the report is inconclusive." Stiles told them.

"Then his parents could have been murdered?" Scott asked.

"It makes complete sense. The myth of the kanima, it going after murderers." Rayne said.

"But for Jackson? Or the person controlling him?" Allison said.

"We have to talk to him. We have to tell him." Scott turned away from them and strode around the corner.

"He's not gonna listen!" Allison said loudly and Rayne walked out.

She saw Scott turn the corner and suddenly, _bang! _She saw the sparks fly as the overhead light was smashed by a moving figure.

"Rayne, Erica!" Scott shouted, and Rayne changed to half-wolf. She scanned for Jackson, and she spotted a dark shape whipping over the ceiling. Sparks followed.

Erica cried out, and Rayne heard a thump. She ran around the corner. A moving shape crashed into her, and she groaned as her back popped against the floor.

"Get off!" She shouted at Scott, who flipped up. Rayne stood and prepared for more fighting. She saw Stiles and Allison watching the other side of the room. She turned to watch Jackson, half of his face covered in scaled and his eyes glowing orange-yellow, write on the chalkboard slowly. He leapt away from the words, crashing through a window.

_Stay away from me or I will kill all of you._

Rayne heard the sounds of thrashing and turned. She saw Erica shaking on the ground.

"Erica!" She called out, kneeling by her head.

"I thought she wasn't epileptic anymore." Stiles said, propping up her head.

"So did I." Rayne answered.

"He's alive." Allison said from the next row, where Matt lay unconscious.

"Hey, we need to get her to a hospital." Stiles told Scott. Rayne held Erica up.

"Do you want to go to Derek?" She asked Erica, who nodded.

"When we get her to the hospital-" Scott said.

"No." Rayne shook her head. "Derek will know what to do. If you take to her to the hospital, she will die. I know she will."

"Go!" Allison said, and Scott scrambled towards her.

"Scott!" Stiles shouted, and Rayne scooped up Erica.

"Scott, she can't wait for you. We'll meet at Derek's place." She shouted as she walked steadily out of the library.

"Do you need help?" Stiles asked her.

"I've got her. We're taking you to Derek, okay?" Rayne said to Erica, who nodded.

"Hold her up!" Derek said quickly to Stiles, who propped up Erica's head.

"Is she dying?" Stiles asked as Rayne murmured calming words to Erica. It didn't matter what she said, just as long as it distracted her.

"She might, I," Derek hesitated before grabbing Erica's arm, "which is why this is gonna hurt."

"No-!" Rayne shouted as he squeezed. Erica screamed as the bone cracked.

"You broke her arm!" Stiles shouted.

"It'll trigger the healing process. I still gotta get the venom out. This is where it's really gonna hurt." Derek squeezed tighter, and blood began coming out. Rayne kept whispering to Erica, her stomach clenching as she felt her fear and pain running through her veins.

Derek finally let go, and Erica exhaled deeply, her eyes almost closed.

"Stiles," she breathed, "you make a good Batman."

Rayne cracked a smile at Stiles, who breathed a sigh of relief.

Derek walked out of the room where Erica was, and Rayne followed.

"I need you." Derek said calmly, wiping the blood off his hands with a wet rag.

"I've noticed." Rayne said.

"You know how to fight, how the kanima works. You have skills even I don't have."

"I know." Rayne said. "And I'm going to join you. _Temporarily._ But if you kill Jackson, I'm turning you into the police."

Derek looked at her. "You're not very good at making threats."

Rayne ran a hand through her hair and met his jade eyes. "Look, Derek, please. Please don't kill him yet."

Derek stared at her for a second before nodding. "Fine."

Rayne turned to go. She felt his hand close around her arm and froze.

"I want you to answer one question for me. Just one."

"What?"

"Why do you try to save every life? The truth."

"With every life, I'm one step closer to redemption. And I think you knew that already." Before Derek could ask anymore, Rayne pulled away.

"What did you do that was so terrible?"

"One question, remember?" Rayne said before she reentered the room where Stiles still knelt besides Erica's unconscious body.

Her arm burned where he grabbed it, and she rubbed it subconsciously. She wanted to tell Derek, and Stiles too, what had happened too badly, and she didn't want to. She'd feed them bites of information when she could handle it. Until then, they'd have to wait.


	7. Bleeding Out

**Hey guys! How's it going? It's been a super busy week for me but I managed to finish this. The overwhelmingly positive response to this has made me so happy. Please enjoy!**

**Don't forget to review!**

**I'm bleeding out**

**So if the last thing that I do**

**Is bring you down**

**I'll bleed out for you**

**So I bare my skin**

**And I count my sins**

**And I close my eyes**

**And I take it in**

**I'm bleeding out **

**Bleeding Out- Imagine Dragons**

Rayne rushed to the animal clinic on foot. She burst through the door and walked through the counter to the back room.

"Sorry I'm late." She told Dr. Deaton and the others.

Isaac immediately stretched upwards, his muscles flexing, and Rayne rolled her eyes.

"Did you have to bring him along?" She asked Derek.

"Why doesn't anyone like me today?" Isaac asked.

Rayne held her tongue as she moved to Scott's side.

"Unfortunately, I don't see anything here that's going to be an effective defense against a paralytic toxin." Dr. Deaton said, and Rayne looked at him.

"We're open to suggestions." Derek said.

"What about an effective offense?" Isaac asked.

"We already tried. Rayne and I nearly took its head off. And Argent emptied an entire clip into it. The thing just gets back up." Derek said.

"Has it shown any weaknesses?" Dr. Deaton asked.

"Well, one-it can't swim." Derek said.

"It wasn't that it couldn't if it tried. It was more deathly afraid of even touching water." Rayne added.

"Does that go for Jackson as well?"

"No. He's the captain of the swim team." Scott said.

"Essentially, you're trying to catch two people. A puppet, and a puppeteer." Deaton pulled out a silver pendant, holding it up before placing it on the table. "One killed the husband, but the other had to take care of the wife. Do we know why?"

"I don't think Jackson could do it. His mother died pregnant too, and she was maybe murdered. I think he couldn't let the same thing happen to someone else." Scott said.

"How do you know it's not part of the rules? The kanima kills murderers. If Jackson kills the wife, then the baby dies too." Isaac suggested.

"Your father wasn't a murderer though, was he?" Rayne asked Isaac.

"Wouldn't surprise me if he was."

The words surprised Rayne, but she supposed Isaac wouldn't have become a werewolf if he'd had an apple-pie life.

"Hold on. The book says they're bonded, right? What if the fear of water isn't coming from Jackson, but from the person controlling him? What if something that affects the kanima also affects its master?" Deaton said, spilling a black substance around the pendant as he spoke. Rayne recognized it easily.

"Meaning what?" Isaac asked.

"Meaning we can catch them. Both of them." Scott answered, and Rayne grinned.

"There's got to be some other way to get tickets, right?" Scott said as they all got out of Stiles' Jeep the next morning.

"It's a secret show. There's only one way, and it's a secret." Stiles said.

"Hey." Rayne tensed at Matt's voice. "Either of you guys know why no one's getting suspended after what happened the other day at school?" He continued, despite the shivers that Rayne was getting. She dismissed them as part of the morning chill.

"Just forget about it. Nobody got hurt." Stiles said.

"I-I had a concussion."

"Well, nobody got seriously hurt."

"I was in the E.R. for six hours!"

"Hey, do you want to know the truth, Matt? Your little bump on the head is about this high on our list of problems right now." Stiles said angrily before Rayne put a hand on his arm.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. So you didn't get any tickets last night either." Matt said.

"Are they still selling?"

"Uh, no, but I managed to find two online. You should keep trying. Sounds like everyone's gonna be there." Matt said, and he walked away.

"Thanks Matt, for being so unbelievably nice in reminding us that we won't be able to go to the rave. That's so sweet." Rayne said sarcastically, quietly enough so he wouldn't hear.

"I don't like him." Stiles said.

"Hey, are you sure about this?" He added, asking Scott.

"Last time, whoever's controlling Jackson had to kill somebody because he didn't finish the job, so what do you think he's going to do this time?" Scott asked.

"Be there to make sure it happens." Stiles and Rayne said in unison before exchanging weirded-out glances.

The next day, Stiles and Scott approached Rayne.

"We have a plan for the rave tonight." Stiles told Rayne.

"What is it?"

Scott and Stiles explained as quickly as they could. Rayne's doubts grew with every word.

"What do you think?"

She gaped. "Deaton is crazy! So many things could go wrong. So many people could get hurt."

"Do we have any other options?" Scott asked.

Rayne shook her head. "No."

"This is all we've got. You and I will go in and find Jackson, protect the civilians. Stiles will spread the Mountain Ash, and hopefully everything will go according to plan."

Rayne half-smiled. "When do things ever go according to plan?"

Rayne spent over an hour getting ready. Her black jeans fit snugly, and she wore gray boots. Her loose graphic tank top hid the sheathed knife tucked into the back of her pants.

"Rayne? Stiles is here." Her mom called.

"Coming!" Rayne shouted, putting in her silver wolf earrings and brushing her hair over a shoulder.

She rushed downstairs and out the door.

"I'll be back late Mom. Don't wait up." She said as her mom smiled and waved goodbye.

She slipped into the backseat and closed the door.

"Let's go." She said, and they took off.

"You okay?" Scott asked Stiles as they got out of the car.

"Yeah, why?" Stiles answered.

"You just didn't say anything the whole way here."

"No, I'm fine. Just grab the other bag." Stiles said, hoisting one over his shoulder.

"I can't. Remember Deaton said you have to do it alone."

"Okay, this plan is really starting to suck." Stiles said.

"No." Scott said, staring off. "Not here, not now." He ran off, leaving Rayne and Stiles.

"What? Scott! What am I supposed to," Stiles trailed off, "this plan officially sucks."

"You can do it." Rayne said.

"Yeah." He didn't sound encouraged.

"Look, I have to go." Rayne glanced at where Scott had disappeared.

"Go on then. I'll do this thing."

Rayne pulled Stiles in for a hug. He seemed surprised.

Her lips planted a kiss on his cheek before she said quietly, "I know you can do it."

Rayne turned and ran to where Scott had disappeared, leaving a very confused Stiles behind her.

She found Scott almost immediately, his heart pounding already.

"The Argents are here. And so is Derek's pack." He told her angrily.

"What? Here? Now?"

"Yes. Allison told them that Jackson would be here."

Rayne ran her hands through her hair. "This is so wrong. Everything's gone wrong already."

"I know. Just look for Jackson. We have to find him first."

Rayne split from Scott, scanning the crowd.

A few minutes later, she'd had no luck. She was making her eleventh circuit when she heard the gunshots. It was her advanced hearing, but it was enough to make her run for the exit.

The bouncer had deserted his post by now, and so she got out with no trouble. She headed for the source of the noise, looking out for anything. She rounded a corner and there it was.

She couldn't jump in. Someone would recognize her, and she wouldn't survive. So she did the only thing she could.

Rayne howled, long and low. The shots paused, and sounds of hand-to-hand combat broke out during that moment of hesitation.

She grinned to herself and began to head back inside.

As she passed through the door, she smelled it. The smell of Isaac and Erica and Jackson. She followed her nose all the way to a side room, isolated from everyone else.

When she entered, she found Stiles, Erica, and Isaac facing Jackson, whose eyes were open but body was limp.

"Hey. Did you…?" She asked Stiles.

"I finished the circle." Stiles said proudly.

"What's up with him?" Rayne looked at Jackson, who looked at her.

"Jackson, is that you?" Stiles asked him.

"Us. We're all here." He answers, layers of voice rolling together.

"Are you the one killing people?"

"We are the ones killing _murderers_."

"So all the people you've killed so far-"

"Deserved it."

Stiles swallowed nervously. "See, we got a little rule book that says you only go after murderers."

"Anything can break if enough pressure's applied."

"All right, so the people you're killing are all murderers then?"

"All. Each. Every one."

"Well, who did they murder?"

"Me."

"What are you talking about?" Rayne asked.

"They murdered me." Jackson said, and his eyes turned to orange-green-yellow. "They murdered me."

His hand turned to talons and he began to raise it.

"Okay, all right. More ketamine. The man needs ketamine. Come on." Stiles said.

"We don't have any more." Isaac held up the empty bottle.

"You used the whole bottle?" Stiles asked exasperatedly.

"Guys, we should go." Rayne said nervously. Jackson had stood up, his skin turning green.

"Um– okay, out, everybody out." Stiles shouted.

"Go, go, go, go!" Isaac shouted as they stampeded through the door.

"Okay, find something to move in front of the door." Stiles said, and the wall beside Rayne erupted as the kanima burst through and dashed off. They all watched in complete shock as it disappeared.

Rayne ran after him as Jackson ran along the ceiling. She traced his form with her eyes as he disappeared into a back room. She could smell the fresh blood from here, and she could feel that everyone here was in danger. Most people had left, only stragglers still there, picking up jackets and shoes. And when she sniffed the air, she could smell something sour and sweet and bad.

Wolfsbane.

She sprinted out the back entrance where Stiles waited. She could see Erica and Isaac's hesitating backs.

"Run!" She shouted. Isaac looked back at her helplessly.

_The circle. They can't cross_.

She prepared herself, sprinting faster and faster towards the pair. She had to save them. Everyone else could leave but them and her. She would stay.

With a grunt of effort, she launched herself towards them. Erica cried out in pain as they were thrown through the barrier, landing on the ground. There was a blinding blue light.

Rayne bounced off, rolling against the ground. She picked herself up, wincing.

"How did you do that?" Derek asked her in wonder from where he stood on the other side next to Stiles. He must have been the one getting shot at, along with Boyd.

"It doesn't matter. Jump across." Stiles said urgently.

"I can't." Rayne said.

"What do you mean? You threw them across. Why not you?"

Rayne shrugged with a sad smile on her lips. "Hero-complex, remember? I can save someone else, but not me. I'm not important enough."

Stiles's face fell and he bent down.

"No!" Rayne shouted, and he froze.

"Don't you dare! Not for me. Jackson is still trapped in there."

"If you stay, he'll rip you apart." Derek said.

"I know." Rayne said. "But I can smell wolfsbane, and I need to know why."

"I don't want you to die." Stiles said.

Rayne shrugged. "I'm willing to make the sacrifice."

She turned and ran back inside the building, searching for the source of the wolfsbane smell.

That's when she heard the howl. It was more of a roar, painful and grating, and now she could sense Scott's fear and resignation. She sprinted for the source, reaching an iron door. She shoved her shoulder through it and saw Scott, on the floor, sprawled out.

"Scott!" She coughed through the smoke laced with wolfsbane. She ran for him, and a flash of black appeared. A black-sleeved hand drove a sparkling silver dagger into her chest, plunging it deeper and deeper.

Rayne gasped in pain as she faced Allison's mother.

"Too bad the will to save won't do you any good here." She said spitefully, pulling out the knife slowly. Rayne collapsed on the floor, her blood pooling underneath her.

She had to keep her eyes open. She had to, she had to, she had to. She heard the door open and the sounds of a struggle, but it came from a long ways away, entire galaxies.

A gentle hand turned her onto her back, and she would've gasped but she didn't have any energy left.

"Wolfsbane…on…knife…" She whispered to those beautiful green eyes.

Derek let out a howl, and he picked up Rayne as gently as he possibly could. She felt his arm supporting her neck.

"Get Scott. Bring him to the animal clinic." Derek told a couple of people. Rayne couldn't make out their faces. She just stared at her lifeline.

He carried her out of the warehouse.

"Tired…" Rayne said.

"Keep your eyes open."

"Can't…"

"You have to. Think about your mom, and Scott and Stiles. You better stay awake."

"Oh my god, Rayne! Is she…?" Stiles's voice said.

"She'll be dead within a few minutes if we don't get help. Scott has a bit more time. Erica and Isaac are bringing him. Get her in the Jeep." Derek said to Stiles, who scrambled for his car door. Rayne's eyes dropped, but she forced them back open.

"We're almost there." Derek said as the car started.

"Am I going to die?"

"No."

"Liar…"

"I'm not lying. I promise."

Rayne's head lolled to the side.

Bright lights…a cart…no pain though. She could feel nothing where the knife had driven into her.

Stiles' head, Dr. Deaton's face stared at her. Derek by her side.

Oh, there was the pain. It hurt. She screamed, but from the words she could hear, it was good. The pain meant something good.

She shut her eyes and drifted away from it.

"Stay awake!" A voice said firmly, but she wasn't grounded. She couldn't.

"Hold onto her hands, both of you. Someone call her mother." That was the doctor.

"No…" Rayne protested.

Someone took her hand, and it was warm. It grounded her to the earth as the pain got worse then better then aching.

"She'll be fine. Sore, but okay. She's healing alright now."

Rayne opened her eyes slowly to see the fluorescent white lights above her.

"Rayne, wake up." Derek said from one side.

"Scott?" She asked weakly.

"Fine."

Rayne sat up very slowly and looked at Derek. Her chest was bound up with white, but she felt a thousand times better.

"Thank you." She said.

"For?"

"Saving our lives. Carrying me out. Keeping me awake."

"Your heart stopped three times, Rayne. I wasn't very successful."

"If you hadn't been talking to me, I would've died. I owe you now."

"You saved Boyd and I from the hunters with your howl."

"Just accept my thank you, will you?" Rayne said, and she heard footsteps.

"Rayne! Oh my god, are you okay? I thought you were going to die." Stiles said. His eyes had bags underneath them.

"Me too." Rayne answered with a playful smile.

Stiles wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly, and she hid her wince from him. Derek saw it, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Don't do that, okay?" He said.

"Do what?"

"Stop us from saving you."

Rayne nodded, though she knew she would do it again.

"Okay. Well, your mom has no clue about any of this. Do you want me to call her?" Stiles asked.

"Nah. I don't think she needs to know." Rayne said.

"Good plan."


	8. Haven't Quite Lost Everything

**Wow, sorry about the late update you guys! This is an exciting chapter, so I hope you enjoy. I don't think Derek's in this one (:() but it's still major.**

**Someone said something about love triangle between Stiles, Derek, and Rayne, but it's not gonna happen. I know she kissed his cheek in the last chapter, but their relationship is completely brother/sister. Rayne is going to fill a big place in Stiles' heart and his father's heart because she's going to take care of them in season 3B. Trust me, that's not gonna happen.**

**Also, someone came up with the name Raynek and I freaking love it! Thank you.**

**Please review and enjoy :)**

**Baby close your eyes **

**Don't open til the morning light **

**Don't ever forget **

**We haven't lost it all yet **

**All we know for sure **

**Is all that we are fighting for **

**Baby don't forget **

**We haven't lost it all yet**

**Syndicate- The Fray**

Rayne woke up the next morning to feeling no pain at all. She slowly unwrapped the bandages to reveal her lightly tanned chest, unmarked.

She breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to get ready for school, tossing the bandages into the trashcan on her way downstairs.

"You do remember you're on spring break, right?" Her mom said as Rayne came downstairs.

Rayne sighed, rubbing at her eyes. "I got up at seven for nothing? Damn. I'm going back to sleep."

Her mom laughed lightly. Rayne noticed that she seemed more well rested then normal.

"I'm going to go out, so when you wake up, I'll probably not be here."

"When are you getting back?" Rayne asked, checking her phone for texts.

"Dinnertime."

"Be careful." Rayne said, looking at a message from Allison.

_Lydia's party at 10. Dressy-ish. Plz come._

_Course._ Rayne texted back.

"It's the full moon, and so far we have three new werewolves that could get free plus a reptile-homicidal creature."

"I'll be back before sundown." Her mom promised, and Rayne headed back upstairs.

She woke up at ten feeling much more awake. She stretched luxuriously before getting up.

Her phone buzzed as she sat down for breakfast.

_You're going to Lydia's, right? _Stiles had said.

_Yeah, why?_

_Don't want to be alone_

_Haha fat chance a lot of people will be there_

_No one I like_

_Scott?_

_Yeah_

_Allison?_

_Yeah_

_Cough, cough LYDIA?_

_You've made your point_

Rayne smiled as she kept eating.

That night, she walked up Lydia's driveway with Allison, who had picked her up.

"Um, there's no one here." Rayne said to Allison.

"I told her to send out invites." Allison muttered as they reached the front door.

They entered the house, and Lydia smiled brightly at them.

"Come in. Try the punch." She held out the platter, and Rayne smiled.

"I'm good. Maybe later?"

"Make sure you do!" Lydia said, and Rayne looked around for Stiles and Scott. She spotted them talking on the opposite side of the room.

Allison had wandered off already, so Rayne felt no guilt for leaving her.

"What's up?" She asked them quietly.

"Jackson's not here." Scott said.

"I figured out it has something to do with water. You know, the fact that all the victims were on the swim team, the way the kanima reacted around the pool." Stiles added.

"So whoever's controlling the kanima really hates the swim team?" Scott said.

"Hated the swim team. Specifically, the 2006 swim team. So it could be another teacher. Maybe like a student back then. I mean, who are we missing though? What haven't we thought of?" Stiles asked, clearly frustrated.

Allison came around the corner, and Scott immediately looked away.

"Ugh." Rayne muttered.

"Uh, Jackson's not here." Allison said softly.

"Yeah, no one's here." Stiles said, and Rayne looked around. He was right.

"Maybe it's just early." Scott suggested.

"Or maybe nobody's coming because Lydia's turned into the town whack-job."

"Well, we have to do something, because we've completely ignored her for the past two weeks." Allison said.

"She's completely ignored Stiles the past ten years." Scott pointed out.

"I prefer to think of it as me not having been on her radar yet." Stiles told him.

"We don't owe her a party." Scott continued.

"What about the chance to get back to normal?" Allison asked.

"Normal?"

"She wouldn't be the town whack-job if it wasn't for us."

"Allison's right. Everything that's happened is our fault." Rayne said.

Scott exhaled. "I guess I could use my co–captain status to get the lacrosse team here." He said hesitantly.

"Yeah, I also know some people who can get this thing going. Like, really going." Stiles whipped out his phone.

"Who?" Allison asked.

"I met them the other night. Let's just say they know how to party." Stiles said.

"By the other night, do you mean the gay club we almost all died in?" Rayne asked.

"Yep."

"Great."

Within another hour, the place was flooded with people. Rayne had gotten handed a glass of punch and was sitting with Scott and Stiles.

"Are you gonna apologize to Allison or what?" Stiles asked.

"Why should I apologize?" Scott asked.

"Because you're the guy. It's, like, what we do." Stiles said.

"Like you've had so much experience." Rayne said.

"But I didn't do anything wrong." Scott said.

"Yeah, you did." Rayne told him, taking a sip of the punch.

"I'm not apologizing." Scott said.

"Listen, Scott, girls love apologies. Allison wants you. She's just kind of proud and she won't admit it." Rayne told him.

"Why do you care, anyway?" Scott asked bitterly.

"Because, Scott, something's gotta go right here. I mean, we're getting our asses royally kicked, if you haven't noticed. People are dying. I got my dad fired. You're gonna be held back in school. I'm in love with a nut job. Rayne is, well, I don't even know who Rayne is, but I like her, a lot, and Derek trusts her, which is just plain weird, because he won't even trust us." Stiles said.

"Excuse me?" Rayne asked. "You know-"

"And if on top of all that, I gotta watch you lose Allison to a stalker like Matt, I'm gonna stab myself in the face."

"Don't stab yourself in the face." Scott stood, his face grave.

"Why not?"

"Because Jackson's here."

Rayne looked over to where Jackson stared at them menacingly. His eyes were intense and angry, and she felt a shiver go up her spine.

She began to feel weird. It was probably the drink, but it tasted so good she didn't want to stop drinking.

She was walking through the crowd by herself when she saw him walking towards her.

"Hey, babe." He said, his perfect smile curling up. So many girls fell in and out of love with him, but he was only ever a friend to her. When she first met him freshman year, no one liked him but her. Over the next year, everyone got to know him, but he never left her behind.

"How've you been? Doesn't seem too good."

"You're dead."

He smirked. "You wish. You tried to kill me, didn't you?"

His face turned twisted and violent, and his eyes glowed red as he lunged for her. She threw up an arm, and he staggered back, a knife growing out of his belly.

"Rayne?" He asked faintly.

"I'm sorry."

He laughed. "No matter how many lives you save, how many good things you do, you will never make up for me."

"I didn't have a choice-"

"You always have a choice!" He shouted at her suddenly, his face shadowed by thunderclouds. "And you chose the way your father would've wanted!"

"I am nothing like my father!" Rayne shouted back as she leaned against a pillar. Her friend disappeared, and her father's face filled the empty space.

"I left because of you. You monster." He spat. "I was weak for not putting you out of your misery, you pathetic excuse for a human being."

He drew his gun, and Rayne quavered against the wall.

"My brave little sweetheart." Her father said. "You were going to be the greatest."

He looked at Scott and Stiles, across the pool. "But you know nothing good lasts forever. Look at your friend you had to kill, your love for me that nearly destroyed you. Even they won't last. It doesn't matter how much you love them, because we both know you care about them as much as your own family, something will always happen."

He smiled coldly. "There will come a day when even you can't save everyone, and the guilt will tear you apart until there is nothing left but a hollow, aching shell!" His voice rose to a hiss.

"The day I can't save everyone is the day I sacrifice myself to save someone I love. And some stupid vision won't stop me." Rayne said courageously, straightening up.

Her father disappeared, and she gasped as she felt the thorn in her heart, tears spilling more and more down her cheeks.

Something hit her across the face, hard, and she jerked back. She was sitting on the ground, arms wrapped around herself. "Rayne, are you okay? Look at me." Stiles said.

"Did you see something?" He asked, and she nodded.

"You're crying a little."

Rayne wiped away her tears. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're lying."

Rayne didn't meet his eyes. "I know. It wasn't the most pleasant experience."

"I know. Mine too. Come on." He said gently, and he met her eyes reassuringly. She looked around, meeting Scott's eyes.

"We're trying to find Lydia. She's not here." He told her.

"Split up." Rayne said.

"Lydia. Lydia! Lydia!" Rayne shouted through the crowd. She wasn't there.

"Hey, I can't find her." Stiles and Scott popped out of nowhere.

"And, guys, anyone who drank that crap, they're freaking out." Stiles said, and Rayne jumped as cold water hit her from someone jumping in the pool.

"I can see that." Scott said.

"What the hell do we do?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know, but we gotta-"

"I can't swim! No, no, no, no, stop, guys! I can't swim! I can't swim! I can't, I can't-" A guy screamed frantically, and Rayne saw him get thrown into the water.

Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by fear and anger. Her head pounded with images and smells and the feeling of drowning. She collapsed to her knees.

"Rayne?" Stiles's voice came as though through water.

"Make him stop, please!" She groaned through the red haze. She swallowed and her mouth tasted of chlorine.

And then, it was gone. She was collapsed on the floor, sweating, shivering, staring up at a stone-faced Jackson next to a dripping Matt.

"What are you looking at?" Matt shouted before storming off. He stared at her when he passed, and she felt a jolt of white anger strike her heart before he disappeared.

"The cops are here. Party's over!" Someone shouted, and everyone began rampaging to get out. Stiles grabbed Rayne's arm and pulled her to her feet.

"What the hell is wrong?" Scott asked her.

"Empathy. I can't, can't control it." She gasped.

"Come on." Stiles pulled her towards the back door.

"No, wait!"

"Hurry!"

"Stop!" Rayne yelled, and they paused.

"It's Matt. He's the Master."

Scott looked completely shocked.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm an idiot! I've had this weird feeling about him since I first met him! And when he had that crazy wicked fear of drowning and all this anger…it's him. Trust me."

"We do." Scott said.

"I was right. Oh my god, I was right about him!" Stiles said.

"Okay, great! Now let's get out!" Scott said, and he shoved them toward the door.


	9. Afraid

**So I screwed up. Here is the real chapter. I'm not sure how, but I posted a chapter from a different fanfic. Oops. Here's the real chapter.**

**Enjoy and please review and sorry again!**

**They'll get through**

**They'll get you**

**In the place that you feel it the most**

**When you're cornered**

**When it's forming**

**In the place that you wish was a ghost**

**Punching in a Dream- The Naked and the Famous**

"How are you today, Rayne?"

"Kind of annoyed that my mom is making me do this." Rayne stared straight at Ms. Morrell.

"She obviously thinks you need therapy."

"I'm fine."

Ms. Morrell smiled. "That is the easiest lie to tell. But I'll be honest with you if you're honest with me."

Rayne held her breath before speaking again. "I suppose I've been having more nightmares than usual."

"Of?"

"My dad. My dead best friend. Sometimes I wake up feeling as though someone is watching me."

"Why?"

"I think the stress is finally getting to me."

"Stress from your mom." Ms. Morrell said.

"She depends on me so much after my dad left. And I keep feeling like I can't be there for her as much as I should be."

"And your friends?"

"A whole new bundle of crazy."

"How?"

Rayne prepared to plunge into the long explanation. "I haven't talked to Scott much. He's been…preoccupied with his mom and Allison." She remembered how distraught his mother had been after the attack. "Allison keeps looking at me like she hates me, but I don't know why. I guess it's related to her mom's death, but I just found out. I'm worried about Stiles. He won't talk to me, not like we used to. It sounds kind of crazy, but he's like a brother to me. Whenever I see him, he seems on edge. Paranoid. Lydia is honestly the most normal right now, but she's been a bit vacant, really."

"So when you say crazy, you mean it."

"Whole-heartedly."

"And Matt?"

Rayne stiffened.

"I don't care that he died. He deserved it."

"Do you really mean that?"

Rayne sighed. "He didn't die. He drowned, but he didn't die. Not really. It didn't give him the right to murder people and threaten my friends and I. He should have…gotten therapy."

"Do you feel any pity?"

"If he hadn't tried to kill my friends and their families, I might have."

"What about your mental health, Rayne? Tell me about you. The only thing I know is: Rayne is the most self-sacrificing person I know, and she has a hero-complex the size of Texas. It's terrifying. Stiles said that about you." Ms. Morrell read from a piece of paper.

Rayne stared at her in shock.

"He cares about you like a sister, I think, in the same way you love him as a brother. And I think your hero-complex relates back to your past, which, he tells me, you haven't told anyone anything about."

Rayne hid her shock. "I don't like talking about it."

"You have to realize it isn't your fault. Your friend's murder had nothing to do with you, and your father left for personal reasons."

_You are so far off. If only you knew the truth about me._

"I'm just trying to make up for it." Rayne said.

"You aren't talking to anyone. I think you should talk to Stiles. Talk to your mom. Talk to empty space. Just talk."

"Hey, Stiles!" Rayne said loudly when she saw him. He spun and she jerked her head to an empty classroom. He went inside and she followed.

"We haven't talked much since-" Rayne started.

"Since Matt tried to kill us all painfully and brutally?"

"Yeah."

"I know."

"How's your dad?"

"Fine."

Rayne leaned against a desk wearily. "I need to talk to you. I really do. I've been having nightmares ever since I was shot. About seven or eight months ago, my best friend was murdered. I keep reliving that."

"You were there?"

"Yeah. That was the day I became a werewolf."

Stiles looked sincerely apologetic. "I'm sorry, Rayne."

"And I know you have to. Been having nightmares."

"Is it that obvious?" Stiles sat on the desk across from her.

"No. I just noticed. You've been on edge lately."

"I lied." Stiles said. "My dad's fine, but we aren't fine. I keep having these weird dreams. He's drunk and he tells me I'm a screw-up."

"You aren't."

"Are you sure? I mean, really, Rayne, what have I done that's so special? Nothing."

Rayne smiled. "You have no idea how much I need you. You don't need powers. You're the one with the plan. I've known you for how long? And you're already like my brother. You lifted me up out of this cloud I've been living in."

Stiles stared at her for a second. "Wow." He said. "I never knew you were such a cheese ball."

"Shut up."

"No, I'm serious. It was touching, really."

Rayne's smile faded. "Have you talked to Scott at all?"

Stiles' smile vanished, and Rayne felt a pang at taking it away. "No."

"Why?"

"I don't like being that dependent. I feel too helpless, I don't know. It's hard to explain."

"I get it. But you two are like this," Rayne intertwined her fingers together, "and you should really, really talk."

Stiles nodded.

"Good luck at the game."

"You better be there." Stiles said warningly.

"Of course." Rayne grinned and walked out of the classroom.

Rayne got to the game late, having walked over from her house. She walked on the field and saw Scott and Stiles talking.

"It's okay." Scott told Stiles as she walked up.

"What's up?" She asked as she moved in behind them. They exchanged worried looks and her stomach dropped.

"Shit." She swore. "Something's gonna happen tonight, isn't it?"

Scott nodded.

"Of all the nights for my mom to show school spirit." Rayne said exasperatedly.

"We're losing, aren't we?" Stiles asked, and Rayne heard a loud voice from behind her. She jumped.

"The hell you talking about? The game hasn't even started yet." Coach Finstock said to Stiles. "Now put on your helmet and get out there. You're in for Greenberg."

"What?" Stiles looked completely shocked, while Rayne grinned. "What happened to Greenberg?"

"What happened to Greenberg? He sucks. You suck slightly less." Coach Finstock said.

"That's really encouraging, Coach." Rayne said, hiding a laugh just barely.

"I'm playing? On the field? With the team?" Stiles asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Yes…unless you'd rather play with yourself." Coach said.

"I already did that today, twice."

"You felt the need to share that?" Rayne asked.

"Look, if we're siblings now, you might as well get used to it." He retorted.

"Get the hell out there!" Coach Finstock shouted, and Stiles jumped up, grabbing his helmet. Rayne laughed as he tripped onto the field.

Scott and Rayne laughed as he took his position.

"Scott, can you hear me?" A familiar voice said, and Rayne straightened. It sounded both close and far away. Scott stiffened.

"Ah, you can. Good. Then listen closely because the game is about to get interesting."

"Let's put a real clock on this game, Scott. If your friend isn't already listening in, she should, right now." Gerard said, and Rayne glanced at Scott warily.

"I'll give you until the last 30 seconds. When that scoreboard clock begins counting down from 30, if you haven't given me Derek, then Jackson is gonna kill someone. So tell me, Scott, who's gonna die tonight? Should it be your mother, who so bravely came out to support you? Or the sheriff, your best friend's father? Or how about the pretty little redhead who managed to survive the bite of an Alpha?" Rayne turned to look at Lydia, sitting next to Scott's mom, who sat next to the sheriff and Rayne's mother. "Or your werewolf friend's last remaining parent who needs protection?" Rayne's hand shook in fury as she stared at her mom, talking with a smile on her face to Stiles' dad.

"Or maybe one of these innocent teenagers with their whole life ahead of them? Or should I do everyone a favor and kill that ridiculous coach? It's up to you, Scott. But you are going to help me take Derek down. Because if you don't-I'll have Jackson rip someone's head off right in the middle of the field and drench everyone you love and care about in blood." Gerard finished viciously, and Rayne noticed Scott's breathing get heavier and louder. She gripped his hand tightly, and he gave it a squeeze.

Rayne ignored Gerard's words as best she could and focused on the game. She cringed as Stiles was knocked over twice, both to huge groans from the audience.

The whistle blew and Scott stood up to go in.

"Sit down, McCall." Coach Finstock said.

"But, Coach, we're dying out there."

"Oh, I'm aware of that. Now sit."

Rayne groaned, putting her head in her hands. She heard someone sit down and looked up.

"Isaac." She breathed out and he smirked.

"Happy to see me?" He asked.

"You have no idea."

"You came to help?" Scott asked.

"I came to win." Isaac said confidently. "You got a plan yet?"

"No, right now it's pretty much just keep Jackson from killing anyone." Scott admitted.

"Well, that might be easier if you're actually in the game. We have to make it so Coach has no choice but to play you." Isaac said.

"If you hadn't noticed, there are three guys on the bench before him." Rayne said.

Scott looked at the coach and back at Isaac. "Can you do it without putting anyone in the hospital?"

"I can try." Isaac said, standing up as the whistle blew again.

"Isaac!" Rayne called, and he stopped, turning around.

"Thank you. For coming back." She said.

"Of course." He said with another smirk.

"You know he likes you, right?" Scott asked.

"I doubt it." Rayne said nonchalantly.

Rayne winced as Isaac knocked one of their team to the ground.

"Lahey?" Coach shouted.

Isaac knocked down two more in quick succession.

"Lahey! Seriously, what the hell is your problem?" Coach shouted at him, and Isaac shrugged.

Jackson spun around, a smirk on his lips.

"Isaac!" Rayne shouted. "Move!"

Isaac turned toward her just in time for Jackson to slam into him.

Rayne jumped up, leaping over the bleachers and sprinting onto the field.

"Isaac." She said, kneeling by his head. Scott crouched by her.

"It's not broken. But I can't move it. I think Jackson nicked me 'cause I can feel it spreading." Isaac told them

"You want to play chess, Scott?" Gerard said, and Rayne stiffened, staring into Isaac's eyes as he was paralyzed. "Then you better be willing to sacrifice your own pawns."

"One, two, three." The paramedics said, and they lifted Isaac up. Rayne squeezed his hand as they carried him away.

"McCall. Either you're in or we forfeit." Coach threw a helmet at Scott, who caught it with his fingertips.

Rayne moved back to her seat cautiously, and her mom came up.

"Rayne?" She asked.

"Hmm?"

"There's something going on, isn't there? Something… supernatural?"

Rayne glanced at Gerard. He smiled blandly at her, and she shivered.

"Mom, you should leave. Invite Stiles' dad and Scott's mom to go back to our house. Just get out."

"No way."

"God, mom, don't be stubborn!" Rayne said angrily. "People are in danger."

"And I can heal them."

Rayne paled. "You went through Dad's stuff?"

"Yes, I did. I figured you could use some of the weapons in his chest. I found my old medicine as well."

"Mom, I don't want to drag you in-"

"Well, I am, so deal with it, Rayne."

Her mom walked back to her seat, and Rayne, torn between fear and pride that her mom had regained some of her old spark, sat down heavily, keeping an eye on the clock.

Five minutes, down two points. A collision, and the ball disappeared in the confusion. Rayne was standing.

She saw Stiles grab the ball and turn and run. He shrieked as the opposing team ran toward him.

"Go Stiles!" Rayne screamed.

"Stilinski! Shoot it. Shoot the ball! Shoot it, you idiot!" Coach Finstock shouted at the hesitating Stiles.

"Shoot it!" Lydia's voice rose above the cheering.

"Go, go, go!" Rayne shouted, and Stiles swung.

The ball soared toward the goalie, past his stick, and into the net.

"Wooooooooooo!" Rayne screamed as Stiles stared at the scoreboard.

Stiles caught the ball again. He sprinted down the field, whirling around another player.

"Haha!" Rayne laughed, screaming his name as he swung and the ball hit the net.

Rayne's voice was getting hoarse, but they were tied.

Stiles scored again, grinning broadly, and Rayne cheered and cheered, clapping her hands together as the team piled onto Stiles.

He resurfaced and stared straight at Lydia, who was smiling broadly. Rayne smirked and looked at the clock.

Thirty seconds left. Thirty seconds until it all went down. How could she have forgotten?

The excitement gone, but adrenaline pumping, she tensed her legs and prepared for a fight.

Jackson stared at her viciously from across the field.

He ripped off his gloves, and Rayne's claws came out. The buzzer was at three…two…one.

_BUZZ!_

It went off, and Rayne prepared to sprint onto the field, but nothing happened. The crowd went wild, the team screaming, the fans cheering.

"But…something was supposed to happen." Rayne said, looking around for Scott. She thought she saw him further down the field, but he disappeared into the crowd.

Then the lights went out, and someone screamed, and Rayne sprinted forward. She couldn't see, there were two many people struggling to run. Primal fear had taken over them, and she couldn't move them away.

She saw the body down. She saw the crowd, and she skidded to a halt.

"Get out of the way. Move. Back off! Move." Coach Finstock shouted, and Rayne stared down at Jackson.

"What?" She asked thin air.

"Jackson? What's happened to Jackson? Jackson! Jackson! Jackson, what's happening?" Lydia screamed, breaking through the crowd, and Rayne held her back as she sobbed into her. Rayne pushed her back and Lydia collapsed..

"Can we get a medic over here? We're gonna need a medic!" Coach Finstock shouted, and Ms. McCall broke through. She knelt by Jackson, putting a hand on his wrist and her head on his chest.

Rayne's mom followed behind as Rayne hugged Lydia.

"He's not breathing. No pulse." Ms. McCall said.

"Nothing?" Coach asked.

"Nothing." Melissa lifted Jackson's shirt, and Rayne stared with wide eyes at the blood.

"Oh-" Coach backed off.

"Oh, my God. There's blood. There's blood!" Lydia sobbed.

"Shh. Don't look." Rayne said to her softly.

"Look." She heard Scott say.

"He did it to himself." Isaac said, and Rayne looked around for Stiles.

"Get down here." Melissa ordered Rayne's mom, who bent and tilted up Jackson's head.

"Stiles?" Rayne called out. No answer.

"Stiles!" She shouted as loud as she could. She let Lydia go, circling wildly. Scott and Isaac stared at her, but she was panicking. She couldn't see him, smell him, or hear his voice. She could feel the fear and panic of the people crowding around Jackson's body, and it was overwhelming.

"Stiles!" She screamed and her voice broke.

Isaac grabbed her shoulders as she began hyperventilating.

"Stiles, where are you? Stiles, Stiles, Stiles!" She screamed out, but he wasn't there. She could hear his dad shouting his name as well, and Isaac held her close against his chest.

"Jackson not the target." She told him before shouting again. "Stiles!"

"It isn't doing any good, Rayne." Isaac said, and Rayne looked at him. She felt the gap in her chest and realized.

She had gotten close and gotten hurt. She had treated Stiles like family, and he had disappeared. He was her brother in all but blood. She had left everyone she had except her mom. These people were all she had, and she couldn't lose a single one. Her heart would just collapse.

"We have to find him." She said into Isaac's shoulder.

"We will." Scott said, his voice hard as diamond. "We will."


	10. Who I Am

**To apologize for the mistaken chapter last time, and because I want to get through Season 2 and onto the far-better Season 3, here we go, the last and most exciting chapter of Season 2, at least in my opinion.**

**Please, please, please review!**

**Who, who are you really?**

**And where, where are you going?**

**I've got nothing left to prove**

**Cause I've got nothing left to lose **

**Who Are You Really? - Mikky Ekko**

Rayne waited impatiently outside for the boys to clear out of the locker room. They were all quiet after what had happened, all talking. She checked her phone for messages from her mom, who had disappeared quickly after the game with Ms. McCall.

Her eyes were puffy and probably still red, and she didn't want anyone seeing her this weak. But she had to push through. She checked her phone every few minutes for texts from Stiles, but nothing.

"Rayne, come on!" Isaac called quietly, and Rayne turned the corner just in time to see Scott rip the door off of Stiles' locker. The metal clanged loudly around the emptiness of the locker room.

"You're gonna find him by scent?" Isaac asked as Scott picked up a pair of shoes and a shirt.

"Yeah, we all are." Scott said, handing Rayne the shirt and Isaac a shoe.

Rayne took a deep sniff as Isaac asked, "But how come you get his shirt and I get a shoe?"

Rayne heard the scuff of feet and turned slowly to see Derek.

"You're late." She remarked, letting no worry seep into her voice.

"We need to talk." He said, and a man in his thirties stepped out from behind the lockers.

"All of us." The man said, and Scott's mouth dropped open.

"Holy shit."

"Who is that?" Rayne asked him quietly. She could feel a sense of wrongness wafting off the man.

"Peter Hale." He muttered, not taking his eyes off the man.

Rayne turned toward him. "I thought he was dead." She said abruptly.

"I was." The man said to her, and she looked at him in dislike. She had the instant feeling they wouldn't get along.

"What the hell is this?" Scott asked Derek.

"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the sheriff's station." Derek said to Scott.

"What?" Rayne asked Scott.

"Okay, hold on. He, he threatened to kill my mom. And I had to get close to him. What was I supposed to do?" Scott asked.

_Mom._

Rayne turned away from them, heading to a corner while taking out her phone.

"Hey, Mom?" She said.

"Sweetheart, I'm a bit busy." Her mom did sound distracted.

"Mom, where are you?"

There was a pause. "The hospital. I'm with Melissa. We're just checking out Jackson's body."

"Sorry, you're what?" Rayne asked icily.

"Investigating."

"He's dead. _Go_ _home_."

"Because if Jackson is dead, it didn't just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen." Rayne heard Peter say, and she stiffened.

"Last I remember, I was the parent." Her mom told her.

"And I'm the supernatural one. I have the training and the skills."

"And I'm the healer. You do your job, and I'll do mine." There was a beep, and Rayne stared in shock at the phone.

"I'm not okay with this!" She said into it, and she looked up.

"Was that your mom?" Peter asked casually.

"Yes. So?" Rayne said with all the ice she could muster.

Peter looked her up and down slowly. Rayne's skin crawled.

"You look older." He said. "But that's just my opinion."

"And you look like an undead dick. But that's just my opinion." Rayne said spitefully. Between her mom, losing Stiles, and the growing threat from Gerard, she was at her wit's end.

"Both our moms are at the hospital looking into Jackson's death." She told Scott, who paled a little.

"What's next?" She asked Derek.

"The Hale House."

"Let's get moving then." She said briskly, stalking past Peter as she followed Derek out. Isaac moved to her side, not speaking, but reassuring her all the same.

"I like her." She heard him say, not bothering to keep his voice down. "Who is she?"

"Honestly?" Derek asked. "No one really knows."

As they reached the Hale House and walked in, Scott's phone buzzed. He yanked it out. "Oh. Oh, they found Stiles." He said, and the knot in Rayne's stomach unwound slightly.

"Thank God." She said.

"I told you, I looked everywhere." Derek said to Peter, who reached under a step in the staircase.

"You didn't look here." Peter answered, pulling out a case.

"What is that, a book?" Derek asked curiously.

"No. It's a laptop. What century are you living in?" Peter asked, and Rayne moved closer.

"A few days after I got out of the coma, I transferred everything that we had. Fortunately, the Argents aren't the only ones that keep records." Peter told them, opening the computer.

Scott's phone buzzed again.

"Hey, mom, I can't talk right now."

Rayne heard Melissa's voice, but couldn't make out the words.

"What's wrong?" Scott asked.

"Are they okay?" Rayne asked worriedly, her mind leaping to visions of Jackson coming back to life.

"Yeah, but something's happening with Jackson. They want me to come." Scott said.

"K, um, Isaac, you better go." Rayne said, and they headed out through the door.

Minutes passed in silence as Peter typed away.

Rayne's phone rang, and she answered with lighting speed.

"Rayne, something's up with Jackson. He's in this casing, transparent, made from his venom.

"Guys, um, apparently Jackson's in some kind of transparent casing made from the venom coming out of his claws." Rayne told Derek and Peter.

"That sounds sufficiently terrifying." Peter said.

"He's also moving." Rayne said. Derek's eyes widened.

"Okay, look, I think I found something. Looks like what we've seen from Jackson is just the Kanima's beta shape." Peter said, and Rayne looked at the computer screen.

'Well, meaning what? It can turn into something bigger?" Derek asked, and Rayne's knees gave slightly. She sagged against the table weakly.

"Um, not just bigger." She said.

"Bigger and badder." Peter said gravely.

"He's turning into that? That…has…wings." Derek said.

"I can see that." Peter said.

"Scott, you need to get Jackson here." Rayne said into the phone.

"I'm not sure if we have time for that." Scott said back.

"Look, somebody actually made an animation of it. Maybe it's less frightening if we-" Peter clicked on it, and Rayne jumped back as Peter slammed the laptop shut.

"Nope, not at all. We should probably meet them halfway." Peter said to them.

"Scott, get him out of the hospital. We're coming to you." Rayne told Scott before hanging up.

"Who are you again?" Peter asked her as they began moving.

"Just a werewolf."

"I don't believe you."

"Good for you." Rayne said, but she didn't put too much sarcasm in her voice. She wanted Peter to leave her past alone.

"Derek, we need Lydia." Peter said.

"Why? She doesn't know about any of this." Rayne said.

"There's no time-" Derek began.

"That's the problem. We're rushing. We're moving too fast. And while everybody knows that a moving target is harder to hit, here we are, racing right into Gerard's crosshairs." Peter said.

Derek's eyes got cold. "If I get the chance to kill Jackson, I'm taking it."

Rayne, at an urgent glance from Peter, called Stiles.

"Hey, this is Stiles. Leave a message at the beep."

"Stiles, please, pick up. We need Lydia. I don't know why, exactly, but we do. Please." Rayne said, and she hung up.

"Let's hurry, please." She said.

They reached the Ironworks in minutes. Derek's eyes changed to red, and he dropped to all fours.

Rayne shook her head as he bounded toward the three figures in the mist. She followed at a jog.

He flipped over and she sighed, completely exasperated. "Show off." She muttered.

She reached him as his eyes turned back to normal. She looked at Scott and Isaac before turning to the third person.

Chris Argent.

That was a shock to Rayne. She stepped back for a second. He shouldn't be here. He should be on the other side. Why was he here?

"I'm here for Jackson. Not you." Chris said coldly to Derek.

"Somehow, I don't find that very comforting. Get Jackson inside." Derek said.

They moved inside, Rayne ending up walking next to Chris. She hid her face from him.

"You look familiar." He said, and she groaned inwardly at the situation she was in.

"Probably because I saved you from the Kanima, in the Ironworks."

"That was you?"

"Yep." She answered nonchalantly.

"Where are they?" Scott asked Derek.

"Who?" Derek asked.

"Peter and Lydia." Scott asked, and Derek paused before bending down. He unzipped Jackson's body bag, revealing the clear goo covering reptilian skin.

"Whoa, hold on a second. You said you knew how to save him." Scott said.

"We're past that." Derek said.

"Derek, wait." Rayne said.

"I have to."

"But you don't want to."

Derek hesitated, and Rayne felt his unwillingness mixed with his sense of duty.

"Think about it, Rayne. Gerard controls him now. He's turned Jackson into his own personal guard dog. And he set all of this in motion so that Jackson could get even bigger and more powerful." Derek said, looking down. He sounded like he was asking for forgiveness.

"No. No, he wouldn't do that. If Jackson's a dog, he's turning rabid, and my father wouldn't let a rabid dog live." Chris said.

"Of course not." Gerard's voice said, and Rayne jumped.

Derek plunged his claws toward Jackson's chest instantly, but an arm shot up, sinking deep into Derek's stomach. It lifted him high, turning his green eyes afraid.

"Derek!" Rayne screamed as Jackson threw Derek across the room.

"Anything that dangerous, that out of control, is better off dead." Gerard said maliciously, and Rayne felt her eyes change to amber as anger flooded her blood.

She leapt for Gerard, claws stretched, and a bolt sank into her shoulder.

She stared at it in shock before looking up. Allison stared at her with no emotion in her hazel eyes.

Rayne pulled out the arrow, blood pooling across her shoulder.

"Allison?" She asked bewilderedly, her voice coming out childish and hurt, and Scott pulled her away. They sprinted through the Ironworks, getting into a defensible position quickly.

The Kanima ran for them, fully transformed and tail whipping. Derek sprang for it, snarling, but it threw him off, slashing his stomach. Rayne jumped on its back, pulling a knife from her boot and sinking it to the hilt into its scaly back. It screamed and through her into a pile of timber.

She sank down, panting. Her head felt foggy, but she could see Allison spinning knives around her fingers, slicing into Isaac.

"Allison, stop! You're making a mistake!" Rayne screamed as Isaac fell in a heap.

Allison advanced, and Rayne focused on Isaac, behind her. He was barely moving, but she could help if she could just get there. Her vision shifted briefly to Gerard in the background, smiling.

The Kanima wrapped a paw around Allison's neck, and she froze, an arrow that had been pointed at Rayne lowering.

"Not yet, sweetheart." Gerard said, stepping forward. Rayne could smell his stench from here, and the realization hit her, why he was doing what he was doing. She wanted to shrink into the shadows, but he stared straight at her.

"What are you doing?" Allison gasped.

"He's doing what he came here to do." Scott said.

"Then you know." Gerard told him.

"What's he talking about?" Allison asked.

"The explanation will have to wait a bit longer, Allison." Gerard said.

"You!" He barked at Rayne, who felt like she had been frozen.

"Come into the light or I'll kill her." He gestured to Allison, and the Kanima tightened its claws.

"Don't listen Rayne. He wouldn't kill his own granddaughter." Derek told her.

"Oh, you don't know me like she does." Gerard said to him. "Isn't that right?"

Rayne gathered her courage and stepped into the light, holding her head proudly, nodding at his words.

"It's taken me a long, long time to figure out who you were." Gerard said. "Too long, really. No one believed you when you said you were just an ordinary werewolf, but I'm the one who figured it out. Your real eyes are the exact shade as your father's."

Rayne felt tears prick her eyes, because he had finally figured it out. Chris's sharp intake of breath to her side showed he had as well.

"What's he talking about, Rayne?" Scott asked, and Rayne bowed her head.

Gerard laughed. The chilling sound echoed throughout the warehouse.

"Tell them, Rayne. Tell them your tragic life story."

She shook her head, not trusting her voice to remain steady.

"Did you really think you could get away with it, hiding right under our noses for so long?"

"The Argents have been kind of slow lately." Rayne dared to say. Her voice trembled, and Gerard laughed again.

"You were so strong until now. Your father told me everything about what happened."

"Then my father is a traitor to his family. His real family, not you." Rayne said. Her voice held strong, but she sounded afraid, like a girl. A little girl trying to hide behind a tree, but clearly visible. Like she had been for so long.

"What's he talking about?" Derek asked. "Rayne?" Rayne glanced at him, and looked away before she spilled the truth to his questioning and hurt eyes.

"I'm surprised. Surprised you told no one. Not your new-found brother, Stilinski, not Scott, not even Derek, who you find yourself trusting even when you think you shouldn't." Gerard said.

"I should have told them a long time ago." Rayne said.

She knew what was coming. She would be alone. Her friends would abandon her and she would have to move on. Again.

"Your name isn't Rayne Moore, is it? Is it?" Gerard asked.

Rayne stared into his eyes again.

"No, it isn't," Gerard took a step towards her, "Rayne Argent."

Rayne heard a gasp from Isaac and looked back at him. Scott and Isaac's faces were shocked, and Derek's? He looked as stunned as the others.

But what killed Rayne was how betrayed they all looked. Like she had provided firm ground, and then ripped it away. That broke her heart.

"It's all your fault, you know." Gerard said. "Those hikers you let your friend rip apart, not being brave enough to kill him, allowing him to bite you, preventing your father from putting you down like the rabid bitch you are!" His voice rose to a yell at the end of his words, and Rayne felt burning behind her eyes. She hated herself for the weakness she was showing.

"You should've committed suicide like any self-respecting Argent would have! Instead you're a shadow, a weakling in place of where a great leader of our family should be. It really is a shame you aren't an Alpha. Your blood, the most powerful blood in this room, Argent and werewolf together, would give me so much power."

Rayne looked down as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Do you feel guilty?" Gerard asked. She didn't answer.

"If you apologize," he said slyly, "I won't kill your mother. I'll even spare your friend, what is his name, Stiles."

His name lit a fire under Rayne's stomach, mending the rips and tears Gerard's words had created. "Do you want me to beg?" Rayne asked spitefully.

"Yes."

She took a breath. "I'm sorry." She said slowly, and she saw the tear fall to the floor and splash against it in slow motion.

"For?" Gerard asked arrogantly, and she could hear his smile.

She yanked her head up.

_You can stand up to anyone. Even when you're at your weakest, you are stronger than anyone._

_Really?_

_Would I lie to you?_

_No._

_Why? Because us Argents have to stick together._

_Love you, Dad. _

_I love you, too._

"I am sorry." Rayne said, courage returning to her voice as her body flooded with power.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell my friends sooner." Rayne glanced back at them.

"I should've, but I was afraid. And I hate myself for it." She said quietly.

"I'm sorry my family, the Argents, are so hateful of my kind. I'm sorry we're so stuck in our traditions we can't see that werewolves are just like us. I'm sorry that Allison's mom had to die for your twisted ideals."

Gerard snarled. "You-"

Rayne looked at Allison, who's face was pale.

"I'm sorry you are dying of cancer, Gerard, I really am. I'm sorry you feel the need to keep surviving instead of passing on like any _self-respecting_ Argent would have." Rayne spat at him. "I'm sorry that there's probably a seat in hell with your name on it."

Rayne took a breath. "But above all, I'm sorry that when you die, and you will, Gerard, I swear to God, there will be no one left who loves you."

Rayne drew herself up and stared at Gerard proudly. "I am not afraid of you. My name is Rayne Moore, and I'm grateful to be who I am, even if I have lost _everything_ because of it!"

She stepped forward and met his eyes defiantly. "And I won't apologize to a bastard like you for doing the right thing."

Gerard snarled, and Rayne felt her feet leave the ground. She crashed into the floor, and a clawed paw slammed into her hip. The bone cracked with an earsplitting noise, and Rayne screamed in pain. Jackson's claws sank deep into her back, and she spat out blood as her hip healed.

"I'll kill her, Scott. I'll kill Isaac, and Chris, and Allison if you don't bring me Derek." Gerard said viciously, moving on from Rayne.

Because she hadn't given in. She had faced her nightmare, and she had _won_.

Scott hesitated before moving toward Derek.

"Scott, stop." Rayne gasped, and the Kanima's claws dug deeper into her back. She was unable to stop a tiny shriek of pain from erupting, and Scott shot her a pained look.

"I wouldn't reach for any of your weapons." Gerard said to her. "One wrong move, and Jackson's claws go into Allison's throat."

Rayne froze in place, eyes on Scott as he bent. His hand grabbed the paralyzed Derek by the back of his neck and lifted him up.

"Scott, don't. You know that he's gonna kill me right after. He'll be an Alpha." Derek said hoarsely.

"That's true. But I think he already knows that, don't you, Scott? He knows that the ultimate prize is Allison. Do this small task for me, and they can be together. You are the only piece that doesn't fit, Derek. And in case you haven't learned yet, there is just no competing with young love." Gerard said as Scott pulled Derek over to him.

"Scott, don't! Don't!" Derek said to Scott, who looked at him sadly before glancing at Allison.

"I'm sorry. But I have to." Scott sounded completely defeated.

Gerard placed his bare arm into Derek's mouth, and Rayne heard the sound of jaws sinking into flesh. Gerard screamed, but it wasn't satisfying to hear. It was a triumphant call.

Gerard held up his arm proudly, the bite mark outlined in red. Rayne could smell the stink of his cancer practically fading away, but…

The blood seeping from the bite wasn't red. It was black goo, oozing and stinking.

Gerard looked around at their shocked faces. "What?" He asked before looking at his arm. His eyes widened, and his heartbeat quickened. "What is this? What did you do?" He shouted at Scott.

"Everyone said Gerard always had a plan. I had a plan too." Scott answered confidently.

Gerard fumbled around in his pocket, taking out a silver case. "No. No." He muttered as he poured out a few pills.

His hand crushed them, and a cloud of black powder fell from his fist. "Mountain ash!" He shouted, and a fountain of the black substance poured from his mouth. Rayne watched, breath heaving, as Gerard collapsed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Derek asked Scott from where he lay on the floor.

"Because you might be an Alpha, but you're not mine." Scott said to him.

_But why didn't you tell me, Scott?_ Rayne wanted to ask, but she didn't know what he would do to her now. She wouldn't be surprised if she was chased out with their teeth on her tail.

There was movement. Rayne tensed as Gerard weakly shifted upwards. "Kill them!" He screamed at the Kanima as he spat out more of the black goo.

"Kill them all!"

The Kanima's foot moved slightly, and Rayne whirled up. Her hands grabbed Allison out of its grip and shoved her back, crashing to the floor. She leapt to meet Jackson, pushing him back further away from the others. Her attack kept him off balance and off-guard, and he just snarled at her.

She heard the squeal of tires and saw Stiles' Jeep crash through a wall.

"Rayne, push him!" She heard Stiles scream, and she jumped for Jackson. Her weight threw them both backwards, and she clung desperately to him.

Rayne went flying back, ripped from Jackson. She hit the ground hard, her breath whooshing out. She gasped helplessly to reflate her lungs.

"Did I get him?" She heard Stiles ask, and the sound of a heavy body hitting something metal made her jerk her head up. Stiles screamed as the Kanima stared at him and Lydia through the windshield.

"Jackson!" Lydia screamed at him as Stiles scrambled away. Rayne began rushing towards her to pull her out of the way, but a strong arm grabbed her waist.

"Stop." Derek said in her ear, and she stopped struggling against his grip.

"Jackson." Lydia repeated as though his name was her only lifeline, and she held up a small golden object.

A key.

"Lydia-" Stiles forced his way back to her, but Scott grabbed him.

"Wait."

As Rayne watched, Jackson's eyes turned back to their baby blue, his skin slowly morphing to human.

"Do you-" His voice was raspy. "Do you still-"

"I do. I do still love you. I do, I do still love you. I do. I do. I do still love you, I do." Lydia sobbed almost silently. Rayne felt her eyes fill up, and she swiped at them angrily.

"Where's Gerard?" Allison asked, and Rayne glanced around for him. He was gone.

"He can't be far." Chris said shakily. His entire world had been spun around today.

Jackson took the key slowly, transforming back into a completely human being.

Rayne felt Derek stiffen. She didn't react in time for him to leap around her, running, claws outstretched, for Jackson. Peter emerged from the shadows, teeth bared.

"NO!" Rayne screamed.

They plunged their hands into Jackson's chest at the same moment, lifting him up off the ground. His mouth opened wide.

"No." Rayne breathed out as they let him go. He crumpled, and Rayne felt the tears threatening to overflow slip past her eyelids. She wiped at them again as Derek made his way back. She refused to look at him.

Lydia looked back at them, her cheeks water-stained, her eyes big and helpless, but Rayne was numb. She couldn't move to help her. Everything they'd fought for was ruined. Every single one of them had been destroyed in some way.

There was the sound of claws on pavement, and Lydia froze. She turned around as Jackson crouched, and Rayne let out an exhale of surprise.

Jackson stood, his eyes glowing a bright turquoise, and Rayne stepped back. His face was twisted into a werewolf's features as he let out an earsplitting roar that Stiles visibly winced to.

He collapsed again, and Lydia caught him. She smiled as he looked up at her.

Rayne looked behind her longingly at the shadows. She heard a soft sniff and noticed the wetness beneath Stiles' eyes.

She moved toward him.

"Scratched my Jeep." He said to her, and she smiled weakly before gripping him in a tight hug. This could be the last time she ever hugged him. Scott would tell him who she was, and they would all despise her. She could feel the distrust in the room, emanating from everyone but him. She couldn't stand the thought of hanging around for him to see her break.

She released Stiles, and he moved away. The moment all their backs were turned, she slipped into the dark, disappearing.

Her home was up ahead. She felt so tired, so downtrodden, but she had such a journey ahead.

"Mom?" She called out, and the sound of worried footsteps hurried down the stairs.

"Oh, sweetheart, I was so scared." Her mom said, and Rayne felt something inside her crack.

She let out a sob.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Her mom asked, and Rayne fell into her arms. They cradled her, like they did when she was little.

Rayne spilled out everything to Naomi in heaving sobs. Her mother shushed her gently.

"The sad thing is, I actually thought things would be okay. I thought I could start over." Rayne said.

"What happens now?" Naomi asked.

Rayne inhaled deeply, holding in any future tears. "I have to leave. Town, I mean."

Her mom nodded. "We can move. I can find another place for-"

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"I can't uproot you again. I'll leave, but you stay. Have a life, Mom. Outside of me."

Rayne had never seen such a sad look in her mother's eye, but she didn't protest.

"When will you be back?" She asked.

"I don't know. A few months, maybe. It's summer. I don't have to worry about school."

"Don't leave tonight." Her mom asked.

"I can't stay."

"Tomorrow, then. Please." Naomi's voice cracked, and Rayne nodded.

Up in her room that night, Rayne lay in her bed for the last time in a while and thought.

_I've seen things I never knew were possible. I met a boy who was twisted into something unrecognizable, a leader who came up with a brilliant plan, someone ordinary who is one of the most amazing people I know, the loneliest person I've ever seen, and a gorgeous, damaged, fantastic girl who saved a life with love. Like in the fairytales. I thought that wasn't possible, but it is, I guess._

_And I don't want to leave. I want to stay here, and run track, and laugh with Stiles and Scott, and save more lives, and get to know Derek, and be happy. That's all I want._

The next morning, Rayne carried her bag down the driveway over her shoulder. She began to cross the street when a horn from a car startled her.

"What the hell?" She shouted as Stiles and Scott got out of the Jeep.

"What is this?" She asked.

"An intervention." Stiles said.

"You didn't actually think we'd let you leave, did you?" Scott asked her with a smile.

Rayne's mouth gaped.

"I thought you would hate me!" She said.

Stiles raised an eyebrow, and Rayne bent at the knees, sinking into a crouch and putting her head in her hands.

"I thought you guys were here to tell me to get lost. I thought, I thought-"

"We thought you'd be this stupid." Stiles said insultingly, but he put a gentle hand on her arm. She looked at him and he smiled.

"Come on. We're have to train for lacrosse."

Rayne smile and stood back up. She tossed her bag up the driveway.

"Mom! I'm not leaving yet!" She shouted, and she got in the Jeep, grinning broadly.

"We need you to protect us, trained bad-ass, you." Stiles said.

"True." Rayne said before punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"That's for hitting me with your car."

"So, basically," Rayne said as she got out of the car, "Allison broke up with Scott, and Lydia and Jackson are back together."

"Yeah." Scott said.

"So you really think she's gonna come back to you?" Stiles asked Scott.

"Yeah, I know she is. What about you and Lydia?"

"Ah. Well, the 10–year plan for making Lydia fall in love with me may have to stretch to 15, but the plan is definitely still in motion." Stiles said as he grabbed his bag and a box of lacrosse balls.

"Why don't you just ask her out?"

Stiles scoffed. "Yeah, okay. Why don't you just get into the goal and help me make team captain like you promised there, big guy."

"It's not a horrible idea." Rayne said sympathetically to Stiles, who gave her a hard stare.

"Okay, she might just say no."

"Hey, you know what I just realized?" Scott asked as he got in goal. "I'm right back where I started."

"What do you mean?" Stiles asked.

"I mean no lacrosse, no popularity, no girlfriend. Nothing."

"Dude, you still got me."

"I had you before."

"Yeah, and you still got me. Okay? It's a life fulfilled."

"Very." Scott told him sarcastically.

"Anyway," Rayne started, "you've got me, and I'm new. You can get Allison back, the no lacrosse thing is your own fault for not keeping up your grades, and popularity is overrated."

Scott grinned at her before focusing on Stiles.

"Now remember, no wolf powers." Stiles warned.

"Got it."

"No, I mean it. No super fast reflexes, no super eyesight, no hearing, none of that crap, okay?"

"Okay. Come on."

"You promise?"

"Take the shot!" Rayne shouted at Stiles.

She saw the flash of Scott's yellow eyes as Stiles swung.

"I said no wolf powers!"

Rayne got home late after a long day with Stiles and Scott. She headed up to her room, walked through the door, and stopped breathing.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you." Derek said, stepping forward, and Rayne felt dizzy as the adrenaline drained out of her.

"God, Derek!" She hissed.

"I just want to talk."

"There's this thing called a doorbell. And if that isn't mysterious enough for you, you can climb through the window when I'm home!" Rayne whispered angrily as she sat down in her desk chair.

"Why didn't you just tell us who you were?"

Rayne sighed. "Because I was raised to believe all werewolves despised hunters and would kill them on sight. I didn't know what you'd do to me."

"That isn't true."

"I know. But it was easier when things were black and white."

"Life rarely is."

Rayne smiled a little without being amused at all. "I fooled myself into believing I could be ordinary when I moved. You know, a typical teenage girl who obsessed over shopping, and went on dates with cute boys, and had nothing more stressful than next week's chemistry test to worry about. But instead I moved to Beacon Hills."

Derek leaned against her desk, and stared down at her. "I know you're still keeping secrets."

"No dangerous ones, I promise. Just things I don't like talking about. Anyway, our friendship would be much less interesting if we didn't have our secrets." Rayne said with a smile.

Derek looked surprised.

"Did I say something?" Rayne asked.

"It's nothing. You said we were friends."

"Well, we are, aren't we?" Rayne said matter-of-factly. "Good night, Derek."

He moved to the window and glanced back briefly.

"Good night, Rayne." He said quietly, and Rayne smiled to herself as he leapt from the sill.


	11. Burned Onto Me

**Hello, hello, and happy 2014. Hope everyone's having a great week. I'm excited for teen wolf in three days, and also, here's the first chapter of season 3. In season 3, Derek and Rayne get a lot closer and start trusting each other more and more. **

**So please, please review!**

**All that you are**

**All that you want**

**Run for your life right now**

**And if you don't know how**

**I'll come back with you and take all that's true**

**And leave all that's burned behind**

**Run for Your Life- The Fray**

"Boy, it's a good thing you drew me a picture." The tattoo artist said sarcastically as Scott grinned at him.

"Hey, Scott, sure you don't want something like this?" Stiles held up a picture of a lizard-creature looking eerily like the Kanima.

"Too soon?" Stiles asked, and Rayne nodded. She had spent the summer practically living his house, and had learned to read his moods, quirks, and eyes. She was the one who convinced him to grow out his hair.

"Yeah." Stiles set down the book.

"I don't know, man, are you sure about this? I mean, these things are pretty permanent, you know?" Stiles asked.

"That's kinda the point." Rayne said.

"And I'm not changing my mind." Scott said determinedly.

"Okay, but why two bands?" Stiles looked at Scott's "picture", which was two lines, one thicker than the other.

"I just like it."

"But don't you think your first tattoo should have some sort of meaning, you know, or something?"

"Getting a tattoo means something."

"I don't think that's-"

"He's right, tattooing goes back thousands of years." The tattoo artist said. "The Tahitian word "tatua" means "to leave a mark." Like a rite of passage."

"Yeah, you see? He gets it." Scott said.

"He's covered in tattoos, Scott, literally."

"Oh, Stiles, leave him alone." Rayne said.

"Okay, you ready? You ain't got any problems with needles, do you?" The artist asked.

"Nope."

"I tend to get a little squeamish though, so-" Stiles began, and the tattoo artist turned on the machine.

"Oh, man." Stiles said before collapsing.

"I can't believe you fainted." Rayne said with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, shut up." Stiles said, holding an ice pack to his head.

"You okay?" Stiles asked a wincing Scott as they got in the car.

"Kinda burns." Scott said.

"Yes, you just had your skin stabbed about 100,000 times with a needle."

"Yeah, but I don't think it's supposed to feel like this." Scott said, and he groaned.

"Oh, God. No, it's definitely not supposed to feel like this."

His back arched in pain.

"Scott?" Rayne asked, concerned.

"Oh, I gotta take this thing off." Scott ripped at the bandage.

"No, no, no, no, Scott. Oh, Scott, please stop." Stiles shut his eyes tightly.

"Oh my god." Rayne said, staring at the tattoo.

"Oh my god, what?" Stiles asked.

"No, no, come on." Scott pleaded as the tattoo faded.

"It healed." He said exasperatedly.

"Ah, thank God. I hated it." Stiles said, and Rayne slapped his arm.

"Ow!" He exclaimed. "Sorry." He muttered to Scott as he started the car.

"So, you talked to Allison at all?" Rayne asked Scott, who shrugged.

"Nah, we agreed to give each other the summer: no texts, no calls."

"So then how do you know she won't be back at school then?" Stiles asked as they stopped at a red light.

"After everything that happened, I'm not sure she's coming back at all." Scott said, and Rayne looked out the window to see Lydia and Allison sitting in the car next to them.

"I have a feeling she'll come back." Rayne said with a smirk, and Stiles looked out the window.

"I'd say pretty definite, you know. Like one hundred percent." Stiles said, exchanging a look with Rayne.

Scott turned and looked out the window. He met Allison's eyes and sank into the seat.

"Can we just drive please, Stiles?" He asked as he frantically tried to hide. Rayne laughed.

"Scott, it's a red light." Stiles said.

"Will you go? Just go!"

"But the light."

"I think we should talk to her, I just think we should say something." Stiles said, reaching over Scott.

"Stiles, no." Rayne said, pulling him back, but he slipped through her fingers.

"Stiles, come on. Oh, my God, dude, no!" Scott said, sinking lower.

"Hey!" Stiles exclaimed through the window, and Lydia took off.

"You know, they probably didn't see us." Stiles said.

"Yeah, that's it." Rayne said sarcastically as the light turned green and Stiles hit the gas.

"Hey, you okay?" Rayne asked Scott.

"What are you doing?" He asked Stiles, his voice panicky.

"Okay, not okay." Rayne muttered.

"I'm driving." Stiles answered.

"We're right behind them!"

"Okay, well, do you see any turns?"

"Jeez, you two make everything into a soap opera." Rayne said.

"I just don't want it to look like we're following them." Scott said.

"Well, what do you want me to do?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know, anything!"

Stiles hit the brake, and Rayne's head slammed into his seat.

"Oh, that's a great plan, Stiles! Give me a concussion, why don't you?" She said, holding her head.

"Sorry."

"Why did they stop?" Scott asked.

"Oh, they're just being girls." Rayne said.

Rayne saw a streak of tan and heard a scream. She shoved open the car door and ran for Lydia's car before the two boys reacted.

"What happened? Are you alright?" Rayne asked a panting Lydia.

"It came out of nowhere." She said hysterically, and Rayne took in the grisly sight of the dying deer, smashed into her windshield.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked Allison.

"I'm okay." She answered.

"Well, I'm not okay. I am totally freaking out. How the hell does it just run into us? I saw its eyes right before it hit us. It was like it-it was like it was crazy." Lydia said, and Rayne held her in a hug.

"No, it was scared." Scott said softly as he felt the deer's side. "Actually, terrified."

Rayne watched him for a second before looking at Lydia. "Well, I missed you guys."

"Yeah, me too." Lydia said, regaining her breath.

Rayne swiped a brush through her hair and admired her outfit one more time. Her black, almost-transparent tights covered her legs below where her maroon skater-dress landed mid-thigh. A black moto-jacket covered her shoulders and on her feet were black combat boots.

She grabbed an apple before she left and got into her car.

She drove to school quickly and met up with Stiles and Scott.

"I still want my tattoo." Scott complained as they walked to their lockers.

"Just ask Derek." Rayne said, stopping at hers.

"Derek? Why? Why would you want to ask him for anything?" Stiles asked.

"He's got that tattoo on his back, so it must be possible."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. When have you seen Derek shirtless?"

"Never. Isaac told me." Rayne said matter-of-factly as they kept walking.

"Do you think he's attractive?" Stiles asked her fiercely.

"What are you, my mother?" Rayne asked, hiding the smile rising in her throat. "Anyway, have either of you seen him?"

"Not since the Kanima." Scott said as Stiles shook his head.

"No, but doesn't he have his hands a little full?" Stiles gestured to the missing persons posters for Erica and Boyd. Rayne felt her stomach drop.

"Look, these are the applications for the career advisor." She heard a voice say, and she looked into the principal's office. "I need them sorted. And whatever happened to the library while I was gone, I want it cleared up." He held up Gerard's sword. "And what the hell is this? Go, go, go!"

Stiles, Scott, and Rayne exchanged looks before moving on.

They all had the same first class; English.

Rayne sat in front of Stiles. She watched the sky outside as the people around her talked.

She felt her phone buzz in her hand and she glanced at it.

"The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds and the tranquil waterway, leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky, seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness." A woman's voice read. Rayne heard the sound of heels coming into the class.

"This is the last line to the first book we are going to read." The young woman said to the class. She smiled.

"It is also the last text you will receive in this class. Phones off, everyone."

As she smiled again, Rayne got the strangest shiver up and down her spine, like someone was pouring ice down her back.

About halfway through class, the principal walked in. Ms. Blake, the teacher, nodded to him and faced the class.

"Mr. McCall?" She called out, and Scott looked up. She waved him over, and he packed up his bags to leave.

Rayne kept taking notes.

"Hey, Lydia." Stiles hissed, and she looked back.

"What is that? Is that from the accident?" Stiles asked Lydia, and she glanced down at her ankle, which was bandaged.

"No. Prada bit me." She answered.

"Your dog?"

"No, my designer handbag. Yes, my dog."

"Has it ever bitten you before?"

Lydia thought for a second before shaking her head.

"Okay. What if it's, like, the same thing as the deer? You know, like, how animals start acting weird right before an earthquake or something?" Stiles suggested.

"Meaning what? There's gonna be an earthquake?" Lydia asked sarcastically.

"Actually, Stiles might be right. But I don't think he means a natural disaster." Rayne said.

"Maybe it means something's coming. Something bad." Stiles suggested.

"It was a deer and a dog." Lydia said. "What's that thing you say about threes? Once, twice-"

_BANG!_

Rayne jumped as a crow banged against the window, leaving a bloody smear.

She looked out the window to see the gray sky getting dark with dozens of crows.

"Three." She said, and the crows began banging against the glass.

"Get down, everyone! Get down, down." Ms. Blake shouted, and Rayne shoved Stiles and Lydia beneath a desk. She tried to cover herself as well, protecting them as much as she could.

"Everyone, get under the desks!" She screamed, but there was so much yelling and cawing that she doubted anyone heard. She just kept her arms wrapped around Lydia and Stiles.

Suddenly, it stopped. It all stopped.

Rayne peeked out. The floor was covered in feathers, but her classmates, besides some bloody pecks, didn't have any serious injuries. Lydia crawled out looking terrified, and Stiles followed her.

"I think you're on to something Stiles." Rayne said quietly.

The moment the paramedics were done, Rayne and Stiles left.

"We got a serious problem at school." Stiles told Scott. "Ms. Blake's class-"

"Hey, can you tell me about it later?" Scott said. Rayne could hear his voice through the phone.

"Well, no, pretty sure this qualifies for immediate discussion." Stiles said.

"All right, then meet me at Derek's." Scott said.

"Derek's house, what? What the hell are you doing at-"

"Stiles, let's just go!" Rayne said, and Stiles hung up.

She didn't want to admit it, but she wanted to see Derek again. She had missed him the past four months, missed having sarcastic conversations with him and being in life or death situations with him. Good times.

They got there to find Scott sitting down, his sleeve rolled up.

"Should've stayed in English, Scott. We had a great time." Rayne said bitterly.

"You have a, um," Derek said, pointing to her hair. Rayne wove her fingers through it and met something definitely not hairy.

"Gross!" She pulled the feather out.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Oh nothing, just an attack by suicidal crows." Stiles said, sitting down.

"What?" Rayne didn't blame Derek for looking confused.

"Scott, it was just like the deer last night, only worse. There were at least a hundred. People got hurt." She told him.

"Have you had any luck with finding Boyd or Erica?" She asked Derek.

"No." He said.

"You could've asked me for help."

"It's my problem."

"It's all of our problem."

"Can we get on with the tattoo please?" Scott asked. He looked tense.

Derek looked at his arm, and his eyes flashed red. "Yeah, I see it." He said. "It's two bands, right? What does it mean?"

"I don't know. It's just something I traced with my fingers." Scott said.

"Why is this so important to you?" Derek asked gently.

"Do you know what the word "tattoo" means?"

"To mark something." Stiles said.

"Well, that's in Tahitian. In Samoan, it means, "open wound." I knew I wanted to get a tattoo when I turned 18. I always wanted one. I just decided to get it now, to make it kind of a reward." Scott said.

"For what?" Derek asked.

"For not calling or texting Allison all summer." Scott admitted, and Rayne nodded. His reason explained a lot; his determination, his reluctance to tell them why.

"Even when I really wanted to, even when it was so hard not to sometimes. I was trying to give her the space she wants. Going four months later, it still hurts. It still feels like a, uh-"

"Like an open wound." Stiles said.

"Yeah."

Derek nodded. "The pain's gonna be worse than anything you've ever felt." He told Scott, grabbing a blowtorch.

"Ah, that's great." Stiles said.

"Do it." Scott told Derek, and he lit the torch.

"Oh, wow." Stiles took a step back.

"That's a that's a lot for me. So I'm gonna take that as my cue. I'm just gonna wait outside." He said.

"I'll hold him down." Rayne said, grabbing Scott's shoulders tightly.

Derek pressed the blowtorch to Scott's arm, and he screamed. Rayne held him tightly as his teeth came out and he roared in pain.

"Can you hurry up?" She asked Derek.

"I'm going as fast as I can, Argent!"

Rayne froze. Scott and Stiles and her had avoided that topic all summer. It was a taboo, one of those things you never mention. Bringing it up again hurt.

"My name is Rayne Moore." She said, putting emphasis on the Moore, and Derek looked at her.

He paused, staring into her eyes.

"You never struck me as a cold-blooded killer anyway." He said casually.

Rayne decided to ignore it. "I'm surprised you remember me at all, given you haven't been seen for four months."

"I've been busy. Haven't exactly had time to chat."

"Oh come on, you know you missed our little conversations." Rayne said with a smile. The corner of Derek's mouth twitched up, and he turned off the blowtorch.

"Done."

"It really is good to see you. And I'll help you look, I promise." Rayne said, and Derek met her eyes again.

"Yeah, good to see you to. And I am sorry."

"Don't mention it."

They waited for Scott to wake up. When he did, it was with a jerk. He immediately looked at his arm. "It worked." He said with a wide smile.

They got ready to leave. Rayne felt a weird feeling in her stomach, like a visceral fear, but there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Well, it looks pretty damn permanent now." Stiles remarked.

"Yeah." Scott said, still smiling. "I kind of needed something permanent. Everything that's happened to us everything just changes so fast. Everything's so, uh, ephemeral."

Rayne looked at Stiles. "Studying for the PSATs?" Stiles asked.

"Yep."

"Nice."

Rayne stumbled, and Stiles caught her elbow. "You okay?" He asked.

"Um, yeah."

"You look kind of sick." Stiles said.

"You painted the door." Scott said, and Rayne looked at the fresh coat of paint. "Why'd you paint the door?"

"Go home, Scott." Derek said, but Rayne could feel his deception. That was weird. She normally couldn't get anything off of him.

"And why only one side?" Scott asked, and Rayne touched the door. Her fear increased, and she jumped back.

"Scott." Derek said warningly, and Scott's claws came out. He began slashing at the paint, scraping it off at high speed. Within a few seconds, a symbol was revealed. A triskele made of triangles and lines, unlike the fluidity of Derek's tattoo.

"The birds at school and the deer last night just like the night I got trampled by the deer when I got bit by the Alpha." Scott said, and he looked at Derek. Rayne leaned against the door, as her fear got worse.

"How many are there?" Scott asked.

"A pack of 'em." Derek answered. "An Alpha pack."

Rayne stiffened. "How many are there?"

"How many what?"

"Alpha packs."

"Just the one, I think." Derek asked, sounding confused. Rayne stumbled into the bright grayness of the outside. Why did she feel so afraid?

"Rayne?" Derek asked, and he put a hand on her arm. She jumped.

Her mouth felt dry. She could barely form the words. "They," she coughed, "they turned my friend who turned me. We couldn't catch them. A police unit went after them, thinking it was just a band of serial killers. None of them survived."

"All of them? How does that even work?" Stiles asked.

"I hear there's some kind of a leader. He's called Deucalion. We know they have Boyd and Erica. Peter, Isaac, and I have been looking for him for the last four months." Derek explained.

"Let's say you find them. How do you deal with an Alpha pack?" Scott asked.

Derek looked straight at Rayne. "With all the help I can get."

"Where is she?" A voice asked, and Rayne looked into the house where Isaac was finally sitting up.

"Where's the girl?" He asked.

"What girl?" Derek asked, and Rayne felt a stab of pain across her cheek. Her hand flew to feel it, and an image flashed across her eyes. A young girl sprawled across a row of lockers. A man with sunglasses, claws extended. A pang of fear from the girl before an awful resignation that she was about to die.

There was a flash of movement, a spray of blood, and Rayne felt her knees buckle.

"Rayne!" Stiles exclaimed as a pair of hands caught her.

"What is it?"

"The girl." Rayne gasped past a lump in her throat. Her cheeks were wet, but she didn't remember crying. Derek helped her stand up again, but her legs still quivered.

"Black hair, dark skin?" She asked Isaac, and he nodded.

Rayne stared at Derek. "She's dead." She said, and his eyes got big.


	12. Anger and Arguments

**Hey you guys! So, who watched the first episode? I thought it was fantastic, but I haven't written anything for it yet. I haven't even planned it out yet….oops.**

**Oh well. Please enjoy and review!**

**Anger is a sure fire**

**And it burns through our lives**

**Are you more than every one**

**Do you fear god and love**

**And you can say that it's all my fault, baby**

**Taste the blood that's in my mouth**

**Take turns screaming back and forth**

**And there's nothing we can do**

**It's the last word**

**That's how the argument goes**

**The Argument- Aidan Hawken**

"What did you do?" Derek asked Rayne. Scott and Stiles had already left, but Derek held her back.

"I-I could feel her pain and her fear, and see, I dunno, glimpses of what happened."

Derek sat back and looked at her closely. "It's your empathy, isn't it? It's getting stronger."

Rayne nodded.

"It's because of the Alpha Pack being so close."

Rayne ran her hair through her hair distractedly. "I can feel everything. I'm not trying, and I can feel Isaac worrying in the next room."

"Can you sense mine?"

Rayne shook her head. "No. Your self-control is…I dunno how to explain. It's like there's a wall. You're shielded. I suppose if I tried, I could breach it, but I don't want to."

"And the girl?" Derek asked.

Rayne shut her eyes tightly. "It felt like I was the one dying."

"How are you going to deal with school?"

Rayne smiled wryly. "The only emotions kids at school feel are boredom, stress, and horniness. I can handle it."

Derek didn't crack a smile. "Let me know if it gets worse."

"'Course."

The next day, Rayne got a text from Derek.

**_Could use your help with something._**

**_What?_**

**_Isaac's memories. I have a theory and I don't want to depend on Peter._**

**_Who would? Where do you want to meet?_**

"You know, I'm starting not to like this idea. Sounds kinda dangerous." Isaac said as Rayne watched him pace.

"You know what? I definitely don't like this idea." Isaac added a heartbeat later.

"It'll be fine." Rayne reassured him.

"Um, no, it could not be. No one's ever tried this." Isaac said.

"Would you rather he do it?" Rayne asked.

"No. I don't like him."

"You'll be fine." Derek said.

"If Rayne's way doesn't work, does it have to be him?" Isaac asked.

"He knows how to do it. I don't. Be more dangerous if I tried doing it myself." Derek told him patiently.

"You know Scott doesn't trust him, right? You know, personally, I, well, I trust Scott." Isaac said.

"Do you trust me?" Derek asked.

"Yeah. I still don't like him."

"Nobody likes him." Derek said, and the door slid open.

"Boys. FYI, yes, coming back from the dead has left my abilities somewhat impaired, but the hearing still works." Peter said as he strode in. "So I hope you're comfortable saying whatever it is that you're feeling straight to my face." He stood in front of them.

"We don't like you." Derek said, slamming his book closed.

"Look, Rayne's way isn't going to work." Peter said.

"How do you know?" Rayne asked. "Last time I checked, I was the empathic one, not you."

"Last time I checked, I was the Alpha."

"Not anymore." Rayne said, and Peter's eyes flashed.

"How about," Derek butted in, "we try Rayne's way."

"Go ahead, if you're prepared to deal with the possibility that she'll have psychological scarring." Peter shot back.

"Why don't you think I can do it?" Rayne asked indignantly.

"Because you are already dancing on a wire and it's about to snap." Peter said.

Derek grabbed Rayne's shoulder before she could say her comeback.

"You could let him do it."

"He could kill Isaac. You realize that, right?" Rayne snapped.

"He's right, you're already on edge. And I'm not risking your sanity. Finding out this info isn't worth it." Derek said, and Rayne paused before nodding.

"Go find Scott and Stiles. Tell them what we're doing." Derek said, and she nodded again, still angry.

"Hey." Stiles said as she approached. He looked tired.

"Hey."

"I need you to see something." Scott said, calling her over. Allison and Lydia stood next to each other.

"Look." Allison showed Rayne her arm.

"Oh my god. Are you okay?" Rayne asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, but look." Allison put her arm next to Lydia's, and Rayne looked closer.

"They're the same." Rayne said.

"This girl, she was looking for Scott. She grabbed our arms and gave us these." Allison explained.

"The girl. The same girl that I saw?" Rayne asked Scott, and he nodded.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"On edge, but recovering. Derek thinks the reason they're enhanced is because of the Alpha Pack."

"Can you tell what I'm feeling?" Stiles asked.

"I think we all know what you're feeling." Rayne said.

"Fair enough."

Rayne looked at the bruises again.

"Call Derek. He's doing something with Isaac right now, but he should be done."

"How do you know?" Allison asked bitterly.

"He asked me for help." Rayne said, and Allison glared at the ground.

"I know you don't like him, Allison, but he knows more about this than any of us. And he's scared for Boyd and Erica. We need to help him as much as we need him to help us."

Derek got there an hour later. He was in a bad mood, Rayne could tell from the way he held his body stiffly.

"I don't see anything." He told them as he briefly looked at their arms.

"Look again." Scott insisted.

"How is a bruise gonna tell me where Boyd and Erica are?" Derek asked.

"It's the same on both sides. Exactly the same." Scott said.

"It's nothing." Derek said, crossing his arms.

"It looks familiar, Derek." Rayne said.

"That girl who died," she started, and Derek watched as she drew the symbol on the piece of paper, "she would've done anything to reach Scott in time. If we dismiss this, we'll be counting her death as just another casualty."

"It's nothing, Rayne."

"Pareidolia. Seeing patterns that aren't there. It's a subset of apophenia." Lydia said matter-of-factly. Rayne could feel the tension in the room, and she bit her tongue.

"They're trying to help." Scott muttered to Derek.

"These two." Derek said incredulously, looking at Allison and Lydia. This one, who used me to resurrect my psychotic uncle, Thank you. And this one, who shot about 30 arrows into me and my pack."

"Okay, all right, now, come on. No one died, all right? Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death. That's what I call an important distinction." Stiles said, and Rayne shot him a glare.

"My mother died." Allison said coldly to Derek.

"Your family's little honor code killed your mother. Not me." Derek said. He pointed at Rayne. "People like her survive. People who have the strength to stand up for themselves."

"That girl was looking for Scott. I'm here to help him, not you." Allison said. She didn't look at Rayne, who was trying as hard as possible to shrink into herself and disappear.

"You wanna help? Find something real." Derek said, and he turned to leave. Scott went after him, but Rayne had had enough.

She walked out of the classroom, glad to escape the hate bubbling up inside.

Stiles and Scott found her later, by the pool.

"Come on. We need to talk." Scott said.

"Yeah." Rayne said, and she stood up.

"Okay, what would a pack of alphas want with Erica and Boyd?" Stiles asked.

"I'm not sure it's them they want." Scott answered as they turned a corner.

"Okay, what, like Derek? Like they're recruiting?" Stiles asked, but Rayne had gotten distracted. She watched as the two new twins walked past purposefully. She remembered them from her memories. They stank of blood.

"Hey, you two. You coming?" Stiles said, shaking her out of her daze.

She kept walking.

"You okay?" Stiles asked her.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Don't give us any B.S, okay?" Scott said, and Rayne rolled her eyes.

"I guess I'm still pretty shaken up over the whole living-through-death thing. It must be affecting my ability to lie well." She said.

"Probably for the better. Now I can tell if you're lying when I ask you personal questions." Stiles said.

"The stock market is based on two principles. What are they?" Coach Finstock asked the class. Rayne stared at him with glazed eyes.

Scott raised his hand. "Yes, McCall, you can go to the bathroom." Finstock said. "Anybody else?"

"Uh, no, coach, I know the answer." Scott said, and Rayne looked at him curiously.

Finstock laughed before shutting up abruptly. "Oh, you're serious."

"Yes. Risk and reward."

"Wow! Who are you? And what have you done to McCall? Don't answer that. I like you better. I like you better." Finstock said. "Does anybody have a quarter? A quarter."

Rayne stared at him. "Yep." Stiles said, and she looked at him as a small square package fell onto the floor.

They all stared at the condom, and Rayne tried to hide her smile

"Stilinski, I think you, uh, you dropped this. And congratulations." Finstock said with a smile. Stiles was beet-red, and he glanced at Rayne.

She smirked as she looked away from his eyes.

"Risk and reward. Put the quarter in the mug, win the reward." Finstock said. "Okay, watch coach." He flipped the quarter into the mug. "That's how you do it. Okay. Danny. Risk, reward."

"What's the reward?" Danny asked.

"You don't have to take the pop quiz tomorrow."

"Coach, it's not a pop quiz if you tell us about it."

Finstock grimaced. "Danny, you know, I really expect more from you at this point. Really." He moved onto Scott.

"McCall. Risk, reward. The risk: If you don't put that quarter in the mug, you have to take the pop quiz. And you have to write an essay. Risk, more work. Reward-no work at all. Or choose not to play." He said.

"But isn't this just chance?"

"No. You know your abilities, your coordination, your focus, past experience all factors affecting the outcome. So what's it gonna be, McCall? More work, no work, or choose not to play?" Scott shook his head. "No play."

"Okay. Who's next? Who wants the quarter?" Finstock asked, and Stiles stood up.

"There ya go! There's a gambling man! Come on! Step up, step up."

Stiles looked at the mug as the door opened.

"Stiles." His father said, two deputies flanking him.

"Yeah, coach, I got it."

"Stiles!"

Stiles looked up, and he straightened.

Rayne listened in on Stiles' conversation with his dad, pretending to focus on the board.

"Heather. She's missing. You went to her party last night?" His dad asked.

"Yeah, I saw her there, but later, I couldn't find her. I just figured she'd hooked up with her other friends. Has no one really seen her since last night?" Stiles asked.

"No. We put out an APB, but, Stiles, all her friends say you were the last person who saw her."

"Me?"

"We hope that it's just a series of bad decisions based on too much to drink. But if you remember anything else, you call me."

"All right? Yes! Reward! Okay, who's next? Greenberg, put your hand down. You don't have a chance." Finstock said, and Rayne winced from the loudness of his voice.

"So you think they kidnapped Heather to turn her?" Scott asked Stiles as they walked down the hallway after class.

"Derek says it's easier to turn teenagers."

"But what would a pack of alphas need with a beta?"

"Scott, I don't know! I don't care, all right? This girl, our moms were best friends before mine died, all right? We used to take freaking bubble baths together when we were three. I gotta find her!" Stiles said.

"I…I don't think it was the alphas." Rayne murmured.

"What else could it be?"

"I dunno. But I have a weird feeling."

"We need Isaac to remember." Scott said.

"How? Peter and Derek couldn't do it. You know any other werewolves with a better trick?" Stiles asked.

"Maybe not a werewolf." Scott said. "But someone who knows a lot about 'em."

That night, they all headed over to the vet clinic. Rayne was nervous about their insane plan, but she trusted Dr. Deaton to know what to do.

They began dumping ice into the bathtub, bag after bag. Rayne dipped a finger into the water and winced.

"Obviously, it's not going to be particularly comfortable. But if we can slow your heart rate down enough, you'll slip into a trance-like state." Dr. Deaton told Isaac, whose heart rate was going up instead.

"Like being hypnotized." Isaac said as they walked toward the bathtub.

"Exactly. You'll be half transformed. It'll let us access your subconscious mind." Dr. Deaton said.

"How slow does his heart rate need to be?" Derek asked.

"Very slow." Dr. Deaton answered.

"Okay, well, how slow is very slow?"

"Nearly dead." The two words chilled Rayne.

"It's safe, though, right?" Isaac asked.

"Do you want me to answer honestly?" Dr. Deaton asked.

"No." Isaac looked down at the water, and Rayne felt his fear spike. Her own heart was beating faster. "No, not really."

"Look, if it feels too risky, you don't have to do this." Derek said.

Isaac stepped in and winced. Rayne felt her heart bursting out of her chest, but she held onto his shoulders.

Isaac's eyes glowed yellow, and Rayne screamed. His fear was intense, his bloodlust overwhelming. She couldn't tell the difference between her emotions and Isaac's anymore.

"Get him back under. Hold him!" Dr. Deaton said.

"We're trying!" Derek shouted.

"Stiles hold down Rayne!" Deaton shouted, and Rayne felt hands pin her to the ground.

"Let me go!" She screamed, and a peaceful calm stole over her. She stopped struggling and resurfaced.

"Rayne?" Scott asked her. He sounded scared. Scared of her. How had she let that happen?

"I could feel his fear. S-sorry. I'm in control." She stuttered, standing back up.

"You're okay now, right?" Deaton asked, and she nodded, looking at Isaac, whose face has risen out of the water. "Now, remember, only I talk to him. Too many voices will confuse him and draw him out. Isaac? Can you hear me?" Deaton asked.

"Yes. I can hear you."

"This is Dr. Deaton. I'd like to ask you a few questions. Is that all right?"

"Yes."

Rayne leaned against Stiles, who helped hold her up. Her head was pounding.

"I want to ask you about the night you found Erica and Boyd. I want you to remember it for me in as vivid detail as possible, like you're actually there again."

"I-I don't wanna do that. I don't I don't wanna do that. I don't wanna do that." Isaac said, and his fear rose again.

"You're scaring him." Rayne said gently, and Deaton nodded.

"Isaac, it's all right. Just relax. They're just memories. You can't be hurt by a memory."

"I don't wanna do that."

"It's all right."

"I don't wanna do that."

"Relax. Relax. Good. Now let's go back to that night. To the place you found Erica and Boyd. Can you tell me what you see? Is there some kind of building? A house?"

"It's not, it's not a house. It's stone. I think marble."

"That's perfect. Can you give me any other descriptors?"

"It's dusty, so empty."

"Like an abandoned building? Isaac? Isaac?" Deaton asked as he began thrashing around.

"Someone's here. Someone's here." He said, and the lights flickered.

"Isaac, relax."

"No, no, no, they see me, they see me!" Isaac shouted. Rayne grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly. Isaac immediately calmed down, but the lights kept flickering.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay. You're okay." She whispered to him.

"Just memories. You won't be hurt by your memories. Just relax. Relax. Good. Now tell us what you see. Tell us everything." Deaton said.

"I hear him. He's talking about the full moon, about being out of control when the moon rises."

"Is he talking to Erica?"

"I think so, I can't, I can't see her, I c, I can't, I can't see either of them."

"Can you hear anything else?"

"They're worried. They're worried what they'll do during the moon. They're worried that they're gonna hurt each other."

"If they're locked in together on the full moon, they're gonna tear each other apart." Derek said to Deaton.

"Isaac, we need to find them right now. Can you see them?" Deaton asked.

"No."

"Do you know what kind of room it is? Is there any kind of a marker? A number on a door? A sign?"

"They're here. They, they-" The lights went out before flickering back on.

"It's all right."

"No."

"Just tell us-"

"They see me! They found me. They're here!" Isaac screamed.

"This isn't working." Derek said. "Isaac, where are you?"

The lights went out, and Rayne gasped as Isaac sat up, his eyes opening. His heart and hers beat in sync at a frantic pace. She felt like a rabbit running from a forest fire, like someone was on her tail.

"I can't see them. It's too dark!"

"Just tell me where you are." Derek asked.

"I can't see!"

Rayne couldn't see past the darkness on her vision and the urge to run. She fell to her knees, struggling to rein back the blind terror.

"Isaac, where are you? Just tell me where you are."

"He could go into shock." Deaton shouted.

"Derek, let him go!" Stiles said loudly.

"Isaac, where are you? What did you see?" Derek shouted at Isaac.

"Derek." Rayne gasped, and he looked at her. She still held Isaac's hand even though she had slumped to the ground.

"Please stop. Please." She begged almost silently. "It hurts."

Derek looked at Isaac, and Isaac screamed, "A-a dead-dead body!"

"Who?" Deaton asked.

"Erica. It's Erica." He wailed, and he surged out of the water. Rayne released his hand with surprise.

"A vault! It's a bank vault! I saw it! I saw the name. It's, uh B-beacon Hills first national bank. It's, um it's an abandoned bank, and they're keeping them locked inside, inside the vault." Isaac said, stumbling out of the water. Scott handed him a towel as the rest of them stared. Stiles had one arm supporting Rayne as she struggled to stand.

"What?" Isaac asked.

"You don't remember what you said right before you came out of it, do you?" Stiles asked.

"No." Isaac said.

"You said when they captured you that they dragged you into a room and that there was a body in it." Stiles told him.

"What body?"

"Erica." Stiles's voice caught a little. "You said it was Erica."

"She's not dead." Derek said resolutely.

"Derek, he said, there's a dead body. It's Erica. Doesn't exactly leave us much room for interpretation." Stiles said.

"Then who was in the vault with Boyd?" Derek retorted.

"Someone else, obviously." Stiles said. "What if that's how Erica died? They, like, pit them against each other during the full moons and see which one survives. It's like werewolf thunder-dome."

"Then we get them out tonight." Derek said.

"No way." Rayne said.

"Rayne's right. Be smart about this, Derek. You can't just go storming in." Deaton said.

"If Isaac got in, then so can we." Derek said.

"But he didn't get through a vault door, did he? We need a plan." Scott said.

"How are we gonna come up with a plan to break into a bank vault in less than 24 hours?" Derek asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Uh, I think someone already did. Beacon hills first national closes its doors three months after vault robbery. Doesn't say here how it was robbed, but it probably won't take long to find out." Stiles said.

"How long?" Derek asked.

"It's the Internet, Derek. Okay? Minutes."

Everyone began leaving, but Isaac stayed back briefly. He turned to Rayne.

"Thank you for stopping it."

"Yeah, well." Rayne had an overwhelming urge to look away from his eyes. Isaac turned around and left, his pace quicker than normal.

Dr. Deaton held Rayne back.

"Be careful with him. He's developing quite a crush."

"I think I figured that out, thanks. But I'm not interested."

"You know why this is happening now, don't you?"

"The Alpha Pack turned the friend who turned me. It's a proximity thing, right?"

"Yes."

"How do I control it? Because if that happens during a fight…" Rayne said.

"By focusing on your own emotions and holding onto them. It's going to be difficult. Especially right now while you're still adjusting, but you can do it. You have to be strong."

"I don't know if I'm that strong."

"Your friends do. And I do. You just need a little faith."

The next morning, Rayne still felt unsettled, like she had missed a step on the stairs. She ran up to meet Stiles and Scott.

"What's the deal?"

"We found a way in. Through the wall of the vault." Stiles told her.

"You're kidding, right?" Stiles shook his head.

"Of course you're not."

"All right, so we meet at Derek's at 5:00 to go over the plan, and then we don't get started until dark." Stiles told them.

'Kay. What do we do till then?" Scott asked.

"What, right now?" Stiles asked, and Scott nodded.

"We've got English."

"Okay. You see this? This is how they got in. It's a rooftop air conditioning vent. Leads down inside into the wall of the vault, which is here. Okay? One of the robbers was lowered into this shaft. Now, that space is so small, it took him about 12 hours to drill into that wall, which is stone, by the way. Then throughout the rest of the night, they siphoned the cash up to the guys back on the roof through that one little shaft in the wall. Boom." Stiles explained.

"That's commitment right there." Rayne remarked.

"Can we fit in there?" Scott asked.

"Yes, we can, but very, very barely. And they also patched the wall, obviously, so we're gonna need a drill of some kind. I'm thinking maybe a diamond bit." Stiles said.

"Look, forget the drill." Derek said.

"Sorry?"

"If I go in first, how much space do I have?" Derek asked Stiles.

"What, what do you think you're gonna do, Derek? You gonna punch through the wall?" Stiles asked.

"Stiles, I kinda think that's exactly what he's gonna do." Rayne said, and Derek smiled sarcastically at Stiles.

"Okay, okay, big guy. Let's see it. Let's see that fist. Big, old fist. Make it, come on. Get it out there. Don't be scared. Big, bad wolf." Stiles taunted and Derek made a fist. "Yeah, look at that. Okay, see this?" Stiles held up his hand a couple inches away from Derek's fist. "That's maybe 3 inches of room to gather enough force to punch through solid co-"

Derek punched Stiles's hand and he flew back, crumpling to the floor. He groaned in pain.

"He could do it." He said.

"I'll get through the wall. Who's following me down?" Derek asked, and he glanced towards Peter.

"Don't look at me. I'm not up to fighting speed yet, and honestly, with Isaac out of commission, you're not looking at very good odds for yourself."

"So I'm supposed to just let them die?" Derek asked.

"One of them is already dead."

"We don't know that." Derek said stubbornly, but Rayne knew he was just in denial.

"Do I have to remind you what we're up against here? A pack of alphas. All of them, killers. And if that's not enough to scare your testicles back into your stomach, try to remember that two of them combine bodies to form one giant Alpha." Peter said. "I'm sure Erica and Boyd were sweet kids. They're gonna be missed."

"Could someone kill him again, please?" Stiles asked.

"Derek, seriously? Not worth the risk." Peter said.

"Says the undead coward hiding behind a bunch of teenagers." Rayne said angrily.

"What about you?" Derek looked down at Scott.

"Yeah, if you want me to come-" Stiles began to say.

"Not you."

"Got it."

"I don't know about Erica. But if Boyd's still alive, we have to do something. We have to try." Scott said.

"But?" Stiles asked.

"But who's the other girl? The one locked in there with Boyd?"

"It doesn't matter who. We just have to get them out." Rayne said.

"We?" Scott asked.

"I'm coming." Rayne said.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? No offense, Rayne, but you haven't exactly been stable lately." Scott said.

"Deaton gave me some advice." Rayne told them.

"I don't know, Rayne." Stiles said.

Rayne stared at Derek. "Derek?"

Derek looked at her for a long time.

"Yeah. She's coming." He said.

Scott and Stiles didn't question the finality in his voice.

The moon was rising when they reached the outside of the bank. When they reached the ladder, however, Scott hesitated.

"What?" Derek asked grimly.

"There's just something I can't get out of my head." He answered.

"The moon's rising, Scott. What is it?" Derek asked impatiently.

"Risk and reward." Scott said.

"Which means what?" Derek asked.

"We're not measuring the risk with enough information. We don't know enough."

"We know time's running out."

"Yeah, but think about it. They put the triskele on your door four months ago. What have they been doing all this time? Why wait until now?"

"We don't have the time to figure out every little detail."

"Okay, but what if this detail, the reason why they waited what if it's the most important one?"

"Then we do nothing. And Boyd and Erica are dead." Derek swung himself onto the lowest rung of the ladder and kept climbing. He paused once his feet touched a rung.

"I know what I'm risking. My life for theirs. And I won't blame you if you don't follow me." Derek said.

Rayne looked at Scott. "We have to." She said.

"But you know I'm right."

"I know." Rayne swung herself up.

"You don't have to come." Derek murmured.

Rayne refused to answer.

Derek dropped into the narrow airshaft, and Rayne heard him punching. The moment the rock shattered and light filtered in, she dropped. Derek was already inside.

"Boyd?" Derek asked of the growling silhouette by the wall. "Boyd? It's me. It's Derek."

Scott's phone went off behind Rayne and she jumped.

"Stiles, now is not the best time." Scott said.

"What does that mean?" he asked after a few seconds, and Boyd turned. His eyes glowed.

"We're here to get you out, okay?" Derek said.

"Derek, stay back." Rayne said tightly as her claws popped out. Boyd's anger was washing over her, and she focused on her own feelings of nervousness and wariness. The anger faded slightly.

"Derek, we got a problem, a really big problem." Scott said, and a girl stepped into the scarce light.

"Cora?" Derek asked. His voice suddenly sounded weak and small.

"Who?" Rayne asked.

"Cora?" Derek's voice _was_ frightened.

"Derek, get out." The girl growled. "Get out now!"

A shadow blocked some of the moon, and Rayne focused on the woman.

Ms. Morrell stood there smiling.

"Get out!" Rayne screamed at her as Boyd and Cora prepared to pounce.

Ms. Morrell bent down and poured a fine black powder in front of the door.

_Mountain Ash._

"No!" Scott shouted, and Ms. Morrell disappeared.

Boyd sprang for Rayne, and she let his weight topple her over in shock. His teeth sank into her shoulder before someone pulled him off. She stumbled back against the vault wall.

"You know her?" Scott asked Derek.

"She's my sister, my younger sister!" Derek shouted.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Scott asked.

"Like I have a clue. I thought she was dead!" Derek shouted back.

"I can push you across the line and handle them by myself." Rayne said.

"Not happening." Scott said.

"He's right. We work better together." Derek said.

Rayne felt a rush of emotion besides rage. And it wasn't coming from Boyd or Cora.

It was Derek and it was a genuine caring. Like he actually cared if she got hurt or not.

It was something to hang on to.

A voice shouted, "Look out!" and Rayne ducked, clinging desperately to that feeling of caring.

Rayne dodged Cora's attack. She clawed at her side, and Cora sank her claws into her stomach.

"No! Don't break the seal!" Derek shouted, and Rayne turned to see Allison by the door.

"Boyd!" Allison shouted, and she broke the line.

"No!" Rayne shouted as Cora and Boyd dashed away, out of side. She stood up and staggered from the release of anger.

Derek grabbed Allison by the shoulders and whirled her away from the entrance.

"Don't touch her!" Scott yelled.

"What were you thinking?" Derek asked Allison, and Rayne felt the feeling she'd been holding onto disappear into anger.

"That I had to do something." Allison said.

"She saved our lives." Scott told Derek.

"Yeah, and what do you think they're gonna do out there? Do you have any idea what we just set free?" Derek asked Allison.

"You want to blame me? Well, I am not the one turning teenagers into killers." Allison said, and Derek took a step back.

"No. No, that's just the rest of your family." He said frigidly.

"I made mistakes. Gerard is not my fault." Allison sounded close to tears, and Rayne leaned against the door. Her shoulder hurt and she wanted to scream at them all to just stop feeling.

"And what about your mother?" Derek asked, his voice rising in volume.

"What do you mean?" Allison asked.

"Tell her, Scott." Derek said, and Scott shrank back. Rayne could feel Derek's anger, his emotion, and it was strong enough to make her head pound unbearably.

"What does he mean, Scott?" Allison asked, and his face blanched

"What does he mean?" Allison asked, her voice becoming high-pitched. Rayne felt torn between the two sides by their own emotions, and she couldn't think.

"Stop it!" Rayne shouted, and they all froze.

"Just stop! Can't you see? This is what they want, exactly what they want! They want us to be divided amongst ourselves. You keep playing this stupid game of hating each other when you should be on the same side!"

Rayne collapsed, falling down the wall and putting her head in her hands.


End file.
